Last Summer
by IluvTheChipmunks
Summary: Alvin and Brittany met each other last Summer and instantly fell in love. But what happens when Brittany soon sees the real side of him, realizing that Alvin isn't who she thought he was - that he turned out to be everything he said he wasn't. Will Brittany find a reason to love him again? Will Alvin be able to change for her? Or will their love for each other fade into dust?
1. First sight

**Here is my newest story, and I am SO excited to share it with you guys! I hope you guys will like it as much as you did with 'Afraid of falling in love with you'. You are all my motivations to writing fanfics, so thank you so much! But anyway, I hope you'll like the first chapter and PLEASE review! Thanks everyone!**

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><p><strong>"If a June night could talk, it would probably boast it invented romance." - Bern Williams.<strong>

**...**

It was just last Summer when I met the one person who changed my life forever.**  
><strong>

It started off as a regular Summer, and it seemed like a regular Summer too. But little did I know that my life would turn around and be affected in a way I never imagined. I went through too much, emotionally and physically. It scared me to know that these kinds of feelings existed on this Earth. It wasn't fair. But it happened, and in a way, there is nothing that I would take back - is there?

When I thought I was experiencing love, little did I know that I was just living a _lie_.

But like I said, I wouldn't take anything back...

This was the Summer when I realized that no one is picture perfect, and that no one is who they are when you first meet them. This was the Summer when I learned that people aren't always who you thought they were. I learned what two-faced people are like. I felt what it was like to have my emotions be played around with.

I was a fool in love.

And it was all because of him.

**June**

We were new here. Miss Miller, my two sisters and I just moved here, to Hollywood just last month. Our mother's company moved here, giving Miss Miller a choice of either quitting her job, or having no choice than to move to a different state to continue her work. She chose the second choice, as you can see. It was new, moving to a new place and all, but I'm sure we'll adapt to everything soon. We moved into a nice house, got enrolled into a new school and everything.

My sisters and I are currently 17 years old, almost turning 18. Before moving out here to Hollywood, my sisters and I finished grade 11, and now we're going into grade 12 - our final year of high school. To be honest, I couldn't wait to go to my new school. Though I know absolutely know one here at all, that was about to change.

All my life, I've been the Queen B at the school. I was the pretty one, the popular one. I was the one who had all the friends, the fashion trends, and every girl wanted to be me, and every guy wanted to be with me.

But let me tell you, I'm not one of those typical bitches you see in movies. If I do say so myself, I am a pretty sweet girl. I mean, I do a few activities outside of school, and I make a lot of friends too. I don't do all that, 'You're not popular, so you can't hang out with us' crap. But I do admit, I try my best to avoid the unpopular crowd, and stick with my own people.

I hated leaving my friends, but we promised that we would still keep in touch. And as mentioned, all the boys wanted me. But I never had a boyfriend. Why? Well all the guys at my old school were just horny jackasses who only wanted one thing. Yeah, _that_ thing. And I have way too much respect for myself to give in to something as pathetic as that. But hey. If there's a guy who lives up to my standards, then who knows? Maybe - just maybe - I'll change my mind about 'having respect for myself', if you know what I mean.

But as of now, I'm just hoping that there are some nice, and respectable guys here. Even though I'm Miss Popular, I kinda want a boyfriend for myself.

But I'll work on it. I can guarantee that once school starts in September, I'll gain my popularity, much like the one I had in my old school before we moved out here. And before I know it, I'll rule the school once again.

It was the month of June, and the temperature was rising by the minute. Like, literally by the minute. I couldn't take the heat any longer; I literally wanted to jump into a pool filled with ice cubes. I mean, yeah I know it's Summer, but this kind of heat is demonic!

We had 3 fans turned on in our house, but despite how much wind was circulating, it still made no difference. My sisters and I were in the living room, lounging on the couches, and feeling lazy as heck. We were each dressed in shorts and a tank top, but that was no help either. The 90° sun shone through our windows, lighting up the house even more.

Great. Just what we needed.

"Ugh." Groaned Eleanor, as she stood up from the couch. "I am boiling!"

"I know what you mean." Sighed Jeanette.

"For once, I wish it was Winter." Sighed Eleanor.

I threw my head back and closed my eyes. I love Summer, don't get me wrong. I mean, it allows me to wear the cutest outfits imaginable! But if there was one thing I absolutely hated, it was the heat. It was as if Mother Nature stuck the entire world in her own personal oven or something. It did not feel good, let me tell you that. We needed to cool off, but how?

"Do we have ice cream?" I asked.

"Nope, Eleanor finished the last of it yesterday." Answered Jeanette.

"Well, sorry." Eleanor muttered.

I groaned. "Ugh. Well, do we have _anything _that's cold and edible?"

"We have ice in the freezer." Said Jeanette.

I sighed. "I'm craving ice cream though."

"Me too. I want those popsicles they sell at the beach." Said Eleanor.

And that's when it hit me. I gasped as my eyes flew open.

I sat up and looked at my sisters. "I know what we should do to cool off."

"What could possibly be cold enough to cool us off in THIS kind of weather?" Groaned Eleanor.

"Let's go to the beach!" I exclaimed, ignoring my sister.

Jeanette sighed. "Britt, Miss Miller said we weren't allowed to go out."

"So what?" I asked.

"And why would we go out and expose ourselves to MORE of the sun anyway?" Jeanette asked, raising her eyebrows. "And I said that Miss Miller told us that-"

"So? Jeanette, let me ask you this. Would you rather stay cooped up in this house while we suffocate from the heat? Or would you rather get some fresh air outside?" I asked.

Jeanette sighed. "But mom said-"

"But _I_ said that we should go out. You two don't wanna stay all cooped up in here all day, especially since the weather is this hot, do you?" I asked.

Eleanor sighed. "Well, no. But-"

"Then I'll call Miss Miller, and beg her to let us out." I said, pulling out my cell phone, as my sisters exchanged disapproving looks with each other.

Our mom, Miss Miller, worked every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11:00AM to 9:00PM. But whenever she was at work, she never allowed us to go out. She didn't trust us enough. Yeah, I understand that she's our mom and that she's overly protective of us, but hello? We're 17 years old! I already have my own drivers license and everything! I think we're old enough to go anywhere we want.

Eleanor sighed. "Britt, Miss Miller will never let-"

I held out a finger to shush her. I dialed our mom's number, put my cell phone to my ear, and waited. Even though there was a thin chance of Miss Miller letting us out, it was still worth a try. After around 5 rings or so, she finally picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, mom!" I said, trying to sound as sweet as possible.

"Britt?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's me." I said. "So how's work?"

I heard our mother sigh deeply on the other end of the phone. "Let me guess, Brittany. You need something?" Asked Miss Miller.

I faked an insulted gasp. "What? No, of course not!"

Miss Miller laughed lightly. "I think I would know when my daughter needs something. I mean, what other reason could there be to be calling me at work in the middle of the day?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing! Is that so bad, mom?" I asked.

"What do you need, Britt?" Asked Miss Miller.

"Well..." I started off. "Is it alright if Jeanette, Eleanor and I go to the beach?"

"ABSOLUTELY NOT!"

I cringed when I heard her object to my request. "What? Aww, come on Miss Miller! We're burning to death here! We just wanna go to the beach and cool off!" I said.

"No, Brittany. And don't you girls have the fans turned on?" Asked Miss Miller.

"But that still doesn't help!" I whined.

"No, Brittany." Said Miss Miller.

"Why not? Why don't you ever let us out? We're 17 years old!" I said.

"That is still no excuse. And besides, I doubt you girls are even familiar with the place, let alone this entire neighborhood! May I remind you, Brittany, that we moved here not too long ago?" Asked Miss Miller.

I rolled my eyes to myself. "But it's so hot! What if one of us dies because its so hot? Then you're gonna feel all bad, then wonder to yourself, 'Why didn't I let my daughters go to the beach on a hot day?' Then we'll see who's right."

Miss Miller sighed. "No one's gonna die of the heat, honey."

"And how would you know?" I exclaimed into the phone.

"Brittany, just-"

"And you were the one who said that Jeanette, Eleanor and I should explore the place and get familiar with it!" I said.

"With my supervision." Snapped our mom.

"Ugh. We're not little kids anymore, Miss Miller." I groaned.

"If you live under my roof, you live under my rules." Miss Miller proclaimed sternly.

"Yeah? Well your roof is freaking killing us with all the heat its trapping inside! Its almost 100 degrees, mom!" I said.

"Just find another way to cool off. Open all the windows and doors or something." Said Miss Miller. "But I have to go now. I've got another call at the end."

"MOM!" I groaned. "Please?"

"No." Miss Miller said.

"Just this once? I won't ask for anything else ever again." I said.

Miss Miller laughed. "I doubt that, Brittany."

I rolled my eyes. "Please mom?"

"I said no, and that's final Brittany. And if I find out that you disobeyed me, you won't hear the end of it. Is that clear?" Asked our mom.

I sighed heavily, feeling extremely frustrated and pissed off at the world. "Yes, mom."

"Thank you, Britt. Now, I'll be home by 9, so I'll see you then, okay?" Said Miss Miller.

"Alright." I muttered under my breath before Miss Miller hung up from the other end. This heat was not making anything better - especially for me. Once I tucked my cell phone back in my pocket, I turned to my sisters.

"See? I told you she wasn't going to let us out." Said Jeanette.

I rolled my eyes, got up off the couch, and said, "Whatever. Miss Miller can't tell us what to do."

"Uh, yes she can, Brittany! She's our mom!" Exclaimed Eleanor.

"I know she is. But we're not little kids anymore!" I groaned. Then I shrugged. "Whatever. I'm going to the beach."

"But mom clearly said not to! Brittany, you're gonna get in trouble!" Jeanette said.

I turned to her. "She doesn't have to know. She's at work, after all. And besides, I can't take this damn heat any longer! The beach is the perfect place to cool off!"

"Stick your head in the freezer or something! But don't sneak out! Miss Miller is gonna kill you if she finds out!" Said Eleanor. "She's gonna kill _us _if she found out that we didn't stop you!"

I laughed. "No she won't."

"Uh, yeah she will!" Answered Eleanor.

"Okay, pretend that she did find out. But what's the worse she can do?" I asked.

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Brittany. But don't go out. You're not allowed to."

I rolled my eyes. "Jeez, Eleanor. Stop acting as if I'm sneaking out to rob a bank or something."

"But you're still sneaking out." Eleanor muttered.

"Like I said, Miss Miller doesn't have to find out. Now if you two don't mind, I'm gonna go change into something beach-suitable. You two don't have to come if you're afraid of Miss Miller finding out...that is, unless you'd like to come." I said.

Jeanette sighed. "No."

I shrugged. "Okay, suit yourself. But have fun sitting around all day while I have fun in the cool, refreshing water." I smiled innocently at them before stalking up the stairs and into my bedroom.

I knew my sisters well, and it was clear that they were NOT gonna follow me. They were too innocent for that. The thing Eleanor and Jeanette feared the most was disobeying Miss Miller. I mean, come on! But no. My sisters weren't all into 'sneaking out' and 'rebelling' like me. But it wasn't like I was intending to disobey our mom. But Miss Miller needs to understand that when she has teenage daughters - especially ones like me - we need to go out and have fun once in a while!

I changed into a super cute hot pink tank top, and really short denim shorts, with a white bikini underneath. just in case I felt like swimming. I tied up hair up into a ponytail, put on my sunglasses, slipped on my new wedged flip-flops, and descended down the stairs. The moment I stepped foot into the living room, Jeanette and Eleanor stood there, giving me a bad look.

"Ugh." I groaned, setting my sunglasses on my head. I looked at my sisters and said, "Would you two relax? I'll be back before Miss Miller comes home. No big deal."

"Okay, whatever you say Brittany. But we warned you. If Miss Miller does find out, we're not covering for you." Said Jeanette.

I shrugged before taking my car keys from the kitchen table. I gave them one more sarcastic wave before walking out the door, and into the exposed Summer heat. I exhaled deeply as the sun rays hit my skin, but I shrugged it off before getting into my car. Let me tell you, the heat in my car did NOT make anything better, so I rolled all the windows down, ignited the engine, and drove.

God, the wind felt so good. It was those typical Summer days where there was not a hint of clouds in the sky. But with the heat being this extreme, I had a reason to go out - even though Miss Miller didn't want me too. But if my sisters keep their mouths shut, Miss Miller won't find out, which means that I won't get in trouble. So everything's good, I think...

The nearest beach from our house was just down the shoreline. I smiled to myself when I pulled into the parking lot and saw the massive groups of people who were playing volleyball, suntanning, jogging, or just swimming in the ocean. I began to feel a bit envious, wishing that I could of came here sooner. I put my sunglasses back on my eyes before stepping out of the car.

Did I feel weird about coming here solo? Absolutely not. I'm that type of girl who can pick up friends at any time, just saying. But in that moment, my cell phone began to vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the caller ID screen. Once I saw who was calling, I laughed to myself. I opened the call, and put my phone to my ear.

"Changed your mind?" I asked.

"Ugh. Whatever. But you know what? We can't stand being in this house any longer. Eleanor and I are coming too." Said Jeanette's voice from the other end.

I laughed. "I thought you guys didn't want to because you were afraid that Miss Miller will find out."

"Like you said, Britt, Miss Miller doesn't need to know." Said Jeanette.

"Wow, Jeanette. I'm proud of you." I said.

"Yeah, yeah. But that doesn't mean that I'm proud of myself." My sister muttered. "But the moment you left, Eleanor and I knew we should have followed you."

"What made you change your mind?" I asked.

"We can't breathe here! It's way to hot." Said Jeanette.

"I told you so..." I teased.

"Whatever. The only reason we're going is because this heat is killing us." Jeanette said.

"Exactly. That's why I left." I answered.

Jeanette sighed. "I still don't feel good about disobeying Miss Miller though."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, Jeanette. She won't find out!"

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"I'm sure. Who's gonna tell her anyway?" I said.

"I guess..." Said Jeanette. "But Eleanor and I feel...guilty."

"Seriously?" I groaned. "Live a little, jeez!"

"You say that all the time, though. Whenever Eleanor and I listen to you, we always end up in trouble!" Exclaimed my sister.

"That's because Miss Miller was there. But she's at work right now, and I swear, she _won't _find out." I said.

"What if she does?" Jeanette asked.

I rolled my eyes again. "I swear to God, Jeanette, you're acting as if we're breaking the law."

"Okay, okay. Fine." Jeanette muttered.

"Good. But I promise, Miss Miller won't find out, and we won't get in trouble. God, Jeanette. It's no big deal." I said.

Jeanette sighed heavily. "Alright."

"Now you and Eleanor better get your asses down here because I'm ready to hit the water." I said.

I heard my sister laugh on the other end. "Okay, okay. We'll be there soon." Said Jeanette.

"'Kay. See ya." I said, before hanging up the phone.

I put my phone back in my pocket before finally walking out of the parking lot, and onto the beach. I sighed as the cool breeze flew past my hair, and as my toes sunk underneath the sand. Though the sun was still dawning upon the entire place, being at the beach made it so much better. And though it was still hot, it felt a trillion times better than the heat that was lingering back at home.

Jeanette and Eleanor arrived around 10 minutes later. I smiled when I saw them, secretly satisfied with the fact that I lured my sisters here - despite how guilty they were about it. Jeanette had her hair tied up, and she wore a floral Summer dress. Eleanor wore her hair down while she wore white shorts and a light green tank top.

"Hi." I said innocently when they reached me.

"Don't think that we feel good about this, Britt, because we don't." Said Eleanor.

I sighed before linking arms with the both of them. "Come on, don't be like that. Let's enjoy the Summer while it lasts, alright? And would you two relax? Miss Miller isn't gonna find out that we snuck outta the house!"

"You're making seem as if it's no big deal." Said Jeanette.

"Because it isn't. Trust me, Jeanette." I said.

Jeanette sighed to herself. "Okay, if you say so."

"I'm sure about it, guys." I said.

Miraculously, it seemed like Jeanette and Eleanor completely forgot about their whole 'Guilty' façade after a few minutes, before they were having as much fun as me. We walked along the dock, getting a few looks and stares from a couple of boys. Some even tried to say hi to us. It was awkward, but I didn't mind it at all. I _am _used to it, after all.

A few minutes later, we decided to take a break. So we found an empty picnic table - which was perfect because it was completely shaded under a tree - and sat down. I sighed and smiled as I placed my sunglasses on my head.

"I'm up for some beach volleyball later. You guys in?" Asked Eleanor.

"I know I am!" Exclaimed Jeanette.

I couldn't help but laugh. "And this is coming from the girls who were afraid to step out of the house."

Jeanette rolled her eyes but laughed afterwards. "We weren't afraid, Brittany. We were just..."

"Scared?" I teased.

"No. We just felt bad about not listening to Miss Miller, especially when she told us she didn't want us to go out." Said Jeanette.

"But whatever. We'll be back home before Miss Miller comes home from work, right?" Said Eleanor.

"Exactly! See? There's nothing to worry about." I said. "So next time, you should put more trust in me. Older sisters are always the best influences, right?"

"Of course, Britt." Eleanor said sarcastically.

We all laughed. Yeah, I know I may not be the best influence to my sisters, but I do try my best to be the best older sister I can be for them. The only thing I want is for Miss Miller to be proud of me, and for Eleanor and Jeanette to look up to me. But sometimes, there are exceptions. Like today, for example.

"Anyway, do you guys want ice cream? I think we passed an ice cream bar earlier, and I'm still craving for something cold." I said.

"Sure." Said Jeanette, while Eleanor nodded.

"Okay. What flavor do you guys want?" I asked.

"Um, surprise us." Said Eleanor.

I laughed and nodded as I got up off the bench. "I'll be back soon."

I started to make my way down the dock again until I spotted the ice cream parlour we passed earlier. After waiting in a 5 minute line-up, I ordered a cookies and cream ice cream cone for Jeanette, a chocolate brownie ice cream cone for Eleanor, and a butter pecan ice cream cone for myself.

To be honest, it was extremely difficult to balance 3 cones in my hands - especially when each of them were 3 scoops high - but I tried to take it slow. Dropping the ice cream cones was the last thing I needed. But just as I pushed the doors open to walk out the parlour, well, you could imagine what happened.

The moment I was about to walk out the door, someone bumped into me, and literally knocked the ice creams cones out of my hand, and onto the sandy beach ground. Great! There goes my $5. But what was worse? Just as the person bumped into me, the ice cream smeared all over my shirt.

This is NOT okay.

"Crap!" I shrieked.

"Shoot. I am so sorry!" Said the _asshole _who bumped into me. It was a male's voice.

"Aw man..." I whined, looking at the massive stain on my tank top.

"Do you need help cleaning it-"

"No! Don't touch me!" I exclaimed. "Do you know how much this shirt costs?"

"Jeez. I was just trying to help." The guy said.

I rolled my eyes before looking up at him. "Well, stop trying to-"

And that's when I stopped talking, suddenly feeling completely lost for words. I was speechless. When I looked up to look at the guy who bumped into me, I suddenly found myself staring into the most _incredible _gold eyes ever. I suddenly felt lost. It took me half a second to look at the rest of his facial features. He was a teenager, like me. He had brown hair that pointed up like that vampire in Twilight. And though he had a straight face, there was this bad boy smirk to it.

And damn, was it ever attractive.

"Hello?"

I blinked multiple times. Damn. He is..._wow_.

"Hello? You okay?" He said again.

I suddenly snapped back. When I got my head back, I cleared my throat, trying to ignore the escalating heat that was beginning to form in my cheeks. "Um, you know what? It's no big deal. I can easily wash this off."

"Look, I am really sorry about everything." He said.

I smiled at him sincerely. "No, no. It's fine, I swear."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

I nodded. "Don't worry about anything."

"Well, let me pay for your ice cream, at least." He said, before looking to the ground where the cones were, then back at me.

"No, you don't have-"

"I insist." He said, smiling.

"Wow. You're being awfully nice to a girl who wanted to kill you for ruining her shirt." I joked.

He laughed lightly. "Well, I'm a nice guy. Now how about it? Gonna let me buy back your ice cream?"

My blush became a lot more intense. "Well, okay."

He bought back the 3 cones for me, and he was really sweet about it. When I watched him as he bought the cones, I took a really good look at his body. And my gosh, was it a sight for sore eyes. He had like, the perfect body. Even behind his T-shirt, I can see his muscles form his flawless figure.

Okay. Stop. I need to contain myself.

He came back to me, handed me the ice cream cones again and said, "You better be careful with those now."

"Just as long as you don't bump into me again." I said sweetly.

Damn. I am such a flirt.

He laughed. "Don't worry. I'll try my best." He teased back.

I laughed gently and sighed. "Well, anyway, thanks."

"No problem." He said.

We kinda just stood there awkwardly for the next 5 seconds before I cleared my throat again. "Well, I gotta go." I said, a little bit too quickly.

He nodded. "Yeah, me too."

I smiled. "Bye."

"See ya." He said.

And then he walked out the door, leaving me standing here by myself, looking like a loser who had nothing better to do than to hold 3 ice cream cones in her hands. But that didn't matter to me. The only thing that was on my mind was that boy whom I just bumped into, talked to, and vaguely flirted with. Wow. Not only was he drop dead gorgeous, but he was really nice too! Friendly, sweet and charming. Boys like that were rare nowadays.

Who _was _that?

But let me tell you, I wasn't going to leave this beach until I found out who he was.


	2. Girl meets boy, boy meets girl

**"Strangers are just friends waiting to happen." - Rod McKuen**

**...**

I returned back to my sisters, who were still at our shaded picnic bench under the tree. They looked up at me when I reached them, but I said nothing. In fact, I felt as if I completely forgot how to talk. But as I sat down, I sighed deeply to myself as my mind still lingered upon the event that JUST happened to me.

Who was that boy?

He was dreamy, not to mention sexy as hell! He was nice, and he seemed really friendly too. And I found that attractive. I hated myself for freaking out at him over something as lame as getting ice cream on my shirt. I mean, that was a BAD first impression. But why does it matter to me? It's not like we know each other, and that he'll remember me, right?

Oh, who am I kidding? Of course he'll remember me, but not in a good way. To him, I'm that psychotic girl who was close to murdering him after accidentally smearing ice cream all over her shirt! Ugh! What the hell is wrong with me! Not only did I spazz at a stranger, I spazzed at a really HOT stranger too!

But like I said, he didn't seem to mind. He was nice enough to buy back the ice cream too. But it was embarrassing to know that I made a fool out of myself too.

But who cares. Its not like I'll ever see him again. I mean, this beach is pretty big, and its jammed pack with people. And the odds of seeing that guy again is pretty thin. I just gotta calm down, and forget about it. It was just ONE embarrassing moment. It won't kill me, right? It wasn't like I made a fool out of myself in front of a lot of people, after all.

God, what is wrong with me? I sound so desperate! I mean, I don't even know that guy's name, let alone know him in general!

But despite all of that, a part of me still wants to see him again. Just once more. That handsome, but sweet stranger...

"Britt?" Called Jeanette.

I looked up and found my sisters staring at me awkwardly. Crap. I didn't realize what I was doing. Little did I know that I was staring hard at the picnic table with 3 ice cream cones in my hands. To Jeanette and Eleanor, I probably looked like some kind of weirdo. But I guess I was so deep in thought, I was oblivious to everything.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"You okay?" Jeanette asked.

I nodded and forced a natural smile. "Yeah, of course. Why?"

"I dunno. You just seemed so spaced out." Said Jeanette.

I gulped quickly and silently. "Sorry. I was thinking about...stuff."

"Oh. Um, okay." Said Jeanette.

"Whoa. Ew! Britt, what happened to your shirt?" Eleanor exclaimed as she pointed her finger towards my tank top.

I looked down to look at my shirt. Gosh. The sight of this brown and sticky mess was sickening. I sighed deeply before looking up to meet Eleanor and Jeanette's gazes again, and said, "I had an, um, 'accident' at the ice cream parlor." I said.

"It looks like it was a really big accident." Said Jeanette. "What happened?"

I shrugged and said, "Nothing, really. It was my fault, actually. I accidentally bumped into someone, and the ice cream smeared all over my shirt."

Eleanor gasped. "Aww! Poor ice cream!"

I glared at her. "Hello? What about me?"

"Oh yeah. You too." Eleanor mumbled.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help but laugh.

Jeanette laughed. "Okay, enough talk. I'm hungry!" She said before I handed her the cookies and cream ice cream cone, and the chocolate brownie one to Eleanor.

After a minute or so, Jeanette spoke up and said, "Uh, Britt? I think you should put on another shirt or something. That ice cream stain does NOT make it look better."

"Yeah. It looks like something crapped on it." Eleanor joked.

I rolled my eyes again, and said, "But I don't have another shirt with me!"

"Are you wearing anything underneath?" Asked Eleanor.

I sighed. "Well, yeah. I'm wearing my bikini top, but-"

"Then take your shirt off! Honestly Brittany. That ice cream stain looks gross." Said Eleanor.

I sighed to myself. "I'd rather not take it off."

Jeanette shrugged. "So you'd rather walk around in a shirt covered in ice cream? Suit yourself."

I rolled my eyes. "Its not that, but-"

"Come on, Britt. Its not like your hiding anything!" Said Eleanor.

I sighed once again. There's nothing wrong with wearing a bikini. I mean, I'm a trillion percent comfortable in my own skin, and not to flatter myself, but I have the body that every girl envies! But ever since I saw all the boys at my old school chase around girls, showing off my body was the last thing on my mind.

Then again...

We're new here. I mean, we literally moved out here to Hollywood not too long ago. A new state, a new city, a new neighbourhood, everything. And that also includes new people. Maybe there aren't people like the people at my old school out here. And maybe the people here are nicer, and a lot more appropriate. So what's the harm?

Ugh, and for shit's sake, I'm at a beach! So what the hell am I waiting for?

I sighed. "Okay, okay! Jeez. I'll take it off later, after I finish this damn ice cream cone before it melts."

Eleanor laughed gently. "Speaking of ice cream, how did you get ice cream onto your shirt in the first place?"

"I already told you. I bumped into someone." I said.

"Who?" My sister asked.

I felt my entire body freeze for at least a second. My thoughts automatically went back to that boy. The image of his gold eyes flew back in my mind. The way he smiled, the way he laughed...But I had to restrain myself before I do something I might regret.

I shrugged at her. "I dunno. Just some stranger." I said, though I could hear the quiet strain in my voice as I said it.

Eleanor laughed. "Wow, well, that person must be a total idiot for bumping into you."

"It was my fault, Eleanor." I said, suddenly feeling my cheeks heat up with an increasing amount of anger.

But wait. What am I doing? Why am I defending him? Why am I defending someone that I don't even know? But I'm glad that Jeanette changed the subject because I didn't know what to say next if Eleanor answered.

"What time is it?" Jeanette asked.

Eleanor looked at the time on her cell phone, then said, "Its almost 4pm."

"Crap. We should be home before 9, before Miss Miller finds out that we snuck out of the house." Said Jeanette.

I sighed heavily. "Are you two still on about that? I swear, we'll be home in time. And besides, we have at least 5 more hours to spend at this beach, so just relax!"

"I guess you're right. It's not everyday that we risk the chance of sneaking out of the house." Said Eleanor.

I laughed. "For you two it isn't. But for me..."

Jeanette and Eleanor both gave me a look.

"Nevermind." I said quickly, biting back a smile.

Okay, yeah, I've snuck outta the house a few times, but Miss Miller never found out! The only times I snuck out was whenever our mom didn't let me hang out with my friends or anything because I was 'grounded'. I swear, I love my mom to death, but she grounds me for no reason at all! But honestly, I never ever did anything too bad to deserve to get grounded - I think.

But that doesn't really matter anyway, because I can easily sneak out of the house through my window, out the balcony, and viola! I'm out. But Miss Miller doesn't know. And she doesn't need to know.

A few minutes later, just as I was finishing up the last bit of my cone, Eleanor kicked my leg from underneath the table. My head snapped up as I glared at her.

"Ouch! What the hell, Eleanor? Why'd you kick me?" I asked.

"Shhhhhh!" She whispered, glaring at me with a face that read 'Shut the hell up'.

"What?" I asked.

A dark smile turned up on my sister's face before she said, "Britt, don't look now, but there's this really cute guy by that car, checking you out from behind."

I froze. "What?"

"Well, there is!" Eleanor exclaimed.

"You're lying." I said.

"I swear, there really is!" Said Eleanor.

Jeanette quickly looked past my shoulder, then stifled a laugh as she turned back to us. "Ooh, Britt. Someone's got the hots for you."

"As usual." Eleanor added in teasingly.

I rolled my eyes and sighed in disgust. "Ew, stop."

Eleanor laughed. "Come on. Stop acting like it's not true."

I rolled my eyes again, but said nothing as I turned away stubbornly. But it took all my strength to stop myself from turning around to see who was staring at me. But I couldn't, I just couldn't. It could just be some random guy. Hell, for all I know, everyone here is a random, unknown person to me. The only people I know on this beach are Jeanette, Eleanor and myself, after all!

But maybe...

No. Stop. I've got to stop.

I sighed again. I just couldn't help but think back to the boy I bumped into just a while back. Sure, I guess you could call what I have a 'crush', but it just seemed so much more...different. And even though I only said a few words to him, there was just this weird connection I felt between us when we spoke. Was it a connection? A feeling? Maybe it was just the way I flirted with him, and the way he flirted back...

Wait, what the hell am I doing? What am I saying? Eleanor and Jeanette could be talking about some other boy, for all I know! But I could feel a part of me, wanting and hoping that the boy who is mysteriously looking at me, is the boy I'm thinking about. I hated myself for sitting on the wrong side of the picnic bench today. If I hadn't been sitting with my back towards whoever this person is, I could have seen!

I looked at my sisters again. "Are you sure he's staring at me?"

Eleanor nodded. "Well, he's looking this way."

"So? What if he's looking at you or Jeanette?" I asked.

Jeanette laughed. "I don't think so, Britt."

"So...is he like, really checking me out?" I asked.

"Well, not exactly. But he just keeps looking your way." Answered Eleanor.

I suddenly felt all weird. Could it be him? _Oh, shut up Brittany. It's probably not him anyway_. But I tried to shake it off. "Whatever. I'm use to having guys stare at me all day, so no big deal." I said.

My sisters said nothing after that, as they continued to finish off their ice cream cones. The moment we were all done, I was beginning to regret not taking the chance to look behind me to see who was staring at me. I mean, in truth, it was no deal. But after laying my eyes on that boy I met at the ice cream parlour earlier, all I could do was hope that I could see him again.

And like I said, I wasn't going to leave this beach without finding out who he is.

"Anyway, I'm still in the mood to play beach volleyball." Said Eleanor.

"Yeah me too." Said Jeanette, before turning to me. "You in, Brittany?"

I didn't say anything for a few moments. To be honest, I just wasn't in the mood anymore. I don't know why, but the only thing I could think of was, well, that boy earlier...

"Oh. Um, yeah sure." I said.

Eleanor beamed. "Okay. Jeanette, go rent a volleyball, while I find a spot on the beach, okay?" She asked, before getting up off the bench.

Jeanette nodded as she got off the bench too. "Britt, you coming?"

I looked up at them and nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, of course."

Jeanette frowned, suddenly sensing my lack of enthusiasm. "You feeling okay?" She asked me.

I smiled at her and nodded once more before getting up off the picnic bench. "I'm fine. But you two go ahead. I'll meet up with you guys in a few minutes."

"Why? Where are you going?" Eleanor asked.

"I'm feeling kinda thirsty." I said. "I'm just gonna go buy a smoothie or something, okay?"

My sisters looked at each other before looking back at me. "Um, okay then." Said Eleanor.

"I'll be back soon." I said, before the 3 of us went our separate ways.

I felt bad about lying to my sisters. But I also didn't want to be a party pooper by saying that I didn't want to play volleyball with them. Not only was I not in the mood to play, I just didn't want to play in general. All I wanted to do was be in a quiet place by myself where no one can talk to me, and where I can just be by myself for a few minutes.

I made my way down the beach until I got to the smoothie shack. I sighed in relief to myself when I realized that it was almost empty - just as I hoped. I didn't want a smoothie, to be honest. But I doubt the store employees would want solicitors, so I ended up buying a strawberry smoothie before I sat down at a table.

One of the reasons to why I wanted some time for myself is to get over this weird feeling that I'm getting. I mean, it's just a crush! A small little feeling of infatuation! I sighed. God, I am being so stupid! Why am I acting like this? Why am I feeling like this? This is just ridiculous.

I better not get my hopes up though. I mean, a guy as perfect as that probably already has a girlfriend anyway...

"Ugh. What am I saying?" I mumbled to myself.

But before anything else could happen, my worse nightmare occurred.

The door to the smoothie shack opened once more, and guess who walked in? Yup, you guessed it. It was the boy from the ice cream parlour earlier, the boy I kept on thinking about - the boy who I couldn't get out of my mind.

WHAT THE HELL? WHY IS MY LIFE SO CLICHÉD?

I looked away quickly, hoping he didn't see me. And thank God he didn't because he walked straight to the front counter. I felt like I was risking my life when I looked up to take a peek at him, but it was so worth it. I sighed, feeling my heart flutter up again.

I felt like a total creep having feelings like this around some guy that I don't even know. But hey. Can you blame me? Girls will be girls.

I didn't realize that I kept on staring at him until he finally bought his drink. And that's when the worst possible thing imaginable happened. Because I was being stupid and oblivious at the same time, I didn't even notice the guy turning around to walk out.

And that's when he spotted me.

We made eye contact for half a second before I felt my cheeks burn up in embarrassment like the fiery pits of hell. I gasped to myself, and looked away. But that didn't help at all. Just as I thought things couldn't get any worse for myself, I heard footsteps coming towards me. Yes, _his _footsteps.

And when I thought that _that _was the worst it can get, I was wrong once again.

The boy came and sat in the seat across from me.

Shit. This CANNOT be happening to me.

I looked up into his face, and died a little on the inside when I saw his gold eyes again. _Okay Brittany, breathe. Just. Act. Normal._

"You again." He said.

"Um. Hello to you too." I answered.

"Are you stalking me or something?" The boy asked me, looking at me with a dark, teasingful look on his face.

It was as if a train of suddenness hit me right in the head. "Excuse me?" I asked in disbelief.

He smiled. "I keep seeing you everywhere."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that the ice cream parlour, and this smoothie shack referred to _everywhere_." I said sarcastically.

He laughed gently. "I guess it does now."

I raised my eyebrows. "Maybe you're the one who's stalking me." I said.

He laughed once. "_I'm _stalking _you_? If you didn't notice, I was here first."

"What are you talking about? _I_ was here first! I _saw _you walk in." I exclaimed.

"Oh. So you did." He said. "But how would I know that you're telling the truth?"

"The truth about what?" I asked in disbelief.

"About you not stalking me." He answered, smiling at me. I could see that this conversation amused him.

"Because I'm not!" I snapped. "And I think that _you're _stalking_ me_."

"Why would you think that?" He asked, grinning again.

"Why wouldn't I think that?" I asked, smiling at him.

"How about this. No one was stalking anyone, and we coincidentally bumped into each other, okay?" He asked.

I laughed. "Okay, fine."

He laughed again. His eyes left mine for a few seconds before returning he returned his gaze to me again. He gave me a semi weird look - but still managed to keep it attractive - and said, "So, mistake me if I'm wrong, but did you forget to wipe that ice cream off your shirt, or is it a new trend for girls nowadays?"

I gasped as my hands went to my shirt, suddenly remembering the huge mess that decorated it. HOW COULD I FORGET? Have I been walking around this beach with this massive huge-ass stain on my shirt? God dammit, talk about embarrassing!

"Oh, um..." I said, but I was unable to find words.

He laughed again and smiled. "Don't worry."

I decided to hide my embarrassment by flirting it up again. "If people ask, I'll just say that some idiot smeared ice cream all over me." I said sweetly.

He scoffed, but gave me a charming smile. "Ouch."

I just rolled my eyes and smiled at him before things suddenly got quiet. Even though my heart was beating a gazillion times a second, it still felt weird - in a nice way - to know that this boy is sitting right across me. This boy; the one I couldn't keep my mind off of all day.

But we were just two strangers, sitting across each other at a smoothie bar, arguing over who was stalking who.

How nice.

"Did you come here with anyone?" He asked me abruptly.

At first, I couldn't understand what he was trying to say. "Pardon?"

"Did you come to the beach with someone? Or did you come alone?" He asked again.

"I came here with my sisters, why?" I asked slowly.

"Oh, so they were your sisters." He said. "That's what I thought."

"What?" I asked.

"You didn't know? My brothers were getting something from the car, and I thought I recognized you from behind." He said.

And once again, a part of me died and went to Heaven. I cleared my throat, then shook my head. The last thing he needed to know was that I really _was _aware of his presence. "I had no idea, sorry."

He just nodded his head for a bit before saying something that almost made me squeal out loud. "So, your sisters won't mind if I steal you from them for a bit, will they?" He asked.

I looked at him, unable to breathe, think or blink. "What?"

He smiled. "Well, my brothers ditched me to go have lunch with our dad, and it looks like your sisters ditched you for something else too. Looks like we're stuck with each other."

I couldn't help but smile when he said 'Each other'.

"Hmm, I guess you're right." I said sweetly.

"So, wanna hang out?" He asked. "That is...unless you don't want to because your boyfriend will get upset or something."

"Boyfriend? Oh, no. I don't have one." I admitted.

"Really." He retorted, looking at me. "Wow, okay."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Why?"

"Nothing. But you just seem like the type of girl who would have a boyfriend." He told me.

_Whoa, what?_

I smiled, trying to contain myself. "No, I'm single."

He smiled. "I see."

I felt my cheeks blush up again. Again, this seemed like it was going somewhere. Is he seriously flirting with me? Well, two can play at that game. It's time to take my flirting skills to the next level.

"How about you? Do you have a girlfriend?" I asked.

"Nope." He answered.

"Well, then I guess it wouldn't kill anyone if we hung out together." I said sweetly.

"Oh, so you don't mind hanging out with some total stranger?" He asked me teasingly.

"Well, if the stranger already did something like splatter ice cream all over my shirt, then no. I don't mind." I answered back.

He chuckled gently. "So, I'll take that as a yes?"

_YES. OH MY GOD, YES._

"Why not?" I said, smiling.

He smiled, and nodded. "Alright then. So, let's go?"

I nodded and smiled before we both got up off our seats, leaving our empty glass cups on the table, and before we started to make our way to the front door. I felt ecstatic. What were the chances of this happening? But it did. It did happen, and I am so glad it did. It was as if fireworks had just gone off inside my body.

Was this really happening?

He held the door open for me, but before I could walk out, he stopped me, looked at me and said, "I'm Alvin, by the way. Alvin Seville."

Wow. Even his name seems to match him. Hot damn.

I smiled at him. "And I'm Brittany." I said. "Brittany Miller."

* * *

><p><strong>OMG so what's gonna happen next? Will this be a typical Summer fling? Or will it turn into something more... ;)<strong>

**Okay, so in my last major story, 'Afraid of falling in love with you', MANY of you have reviewed, and/or PMed me, saying that I should maybe write a real story based on my fanfic, and get it published...**

**Well, after months of thinking it over, I have considered the idea (Still not 100% sure on it though). Let me tell you, publishing a book is NOT easy at all! But after you guys have loved it, and have helped me by getting over 1200+ reviews, I may just think about it even more. I _am_ just 15 years old, after all. I'm still deciding on life.**

**Oh, and sorry about re-loading this chapter twice. There were some problems, lol...**

**But anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks so much for reading and please review!**


	3. He's the one I want

**"In every girl's life, there's a boy she can't forget, and a Summer where it all began." - Anonymous**

**...**

We walked down the beach silently. No words were shared between us. The only things that could be heard were the distant crashes of the waves, the chorus of laughter coming from the rest of the people on the beach, and the light music coming from the ice cream trucks. The sun above us was beginning to set, making our surroundings look absolutely amazing in the dimming light. The soft white sand slipped between my toes everytime I took a step.

I sighed. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that I am hanging out with this guy. I mean, I only met him today after all. But he seemed really sweet for asking me to hang out with him, and with someone as charming as him, I couldn't turn his offer down. I _have _been thinking about him all day anyway...

Are we friends? Well, at this point, I have no idea. But I guess you can say that we're friends...kinda. We keep on meeting up coincidentally, until we finally decided to just hang out. But it's not like we know each other all that well. Not only have we just met today, but the only thing I know about him is his name.

Alvin Seville.

And at this point, he knows my name too. Am I hoping that this might go even further? Well, yes. I mean, did you see the way he flirted with me? God, when you think of it, did you see how _I _flirted with him? Maybe this _is _going somewhere...

But what am I saying? Because as of now, we're just two people who decided to hang out together because we have nothing else to do. Lovely.

"So, where do you wanna go?" He asked me suddenly.

I looked up at him. "What?"

"I don't know about you, but I'm sick of walking. Want to go down to the pier?" He asked me.

"Um, well, you probably know this place better than I do, so sure." I answered.

I just followed him to wherever he wanted to take me. I raised my eyebrows when he led me into a quiet, secluded place. We were at the very end of the beach. It was completely empty, except for the pier that led into the gorgeous body of water. We walked onto the dock, and into the pier until we got to the very end. I looked over the edge and gasped silently when I saw the beautiful clear water under us.

He sat down, letting his legs hang off the edge. He looked up at me and said, "Wanna sit down?"

I felt like a completely idiot. I suddenly felt my cheeks blush up, but I said nothing and sat down beside him, letting my legs hang off the side too. At first, we stayed silent. I looked into the distance, and into the horizon. When I saw the blue sky, the crystal clear water, and the dazzling reflections, I was hit with the beauty.

All my life, I've been so focused on nothing but myself, my friends, music, shopping and all that, that I have never really noticed how beautiful reality was around me. I instantly fell in love with the scene that I was staring at. And to think, if Alvin didn't take me here, I would have never realized anything...

"So tell me about yourself." He asked me abruptly.

I blinked once before looking at him. He was looking at me back, smiling at me with that charming smile of his. I felt incredibly lost for words for a few seconds before I cleared my throat. "Well, what do you wanna know?"

He shrugged. "Anything."

I smiled then said, "Why should I be the one to tell you first? Shouldn't the gentleman be first?" I asked sweetly.

He raised his eyebrows and said, "I thought it went, 'Ladies first'."

I couldn't help but laugh. "There's always an exception." I said.

He laughed gently before sighing. "Alright then. What do _you _wanna know?"

I bit my lip, thinking about what I should say. But then I instantly made up my mind. "How about this. Let's ask each other questions, and we both have to answer it."

Alvin raised his eyebrows. "This is gonna be interesting."

I rolled my eyes but laughed. "Do you wanna get to know me or not?"

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

I gasped and playfully smacked him across the arm. "That's mean!" I snapped.

He laughed again and said, "That was a joke, Brittany. Relax. Man, you're fun to annoy."

I felt my heart skip a beat when he said my name. But what really got my heart racing was the fact that we were both sitting here, acting as if we've been friends for a while now. I mean, I felt comfortable enough to playfully hit his arm, and he felt comfortable enough to joke around with me. Seems like a lot for two people who haven't even known each other for 24 hours.

I sighed as I looked across the water. "Fine. I'll go first." I said.

"Alright." He answered.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Just turned 18." He said. "You?"

"17." I answered back.

He nodded. "Okay, cool. Um, what are your interests?"

I pondered a bit before finally saying, "Well, I'm a girl. What do you think my interests are?"

He looked at me and raised an eyebrow, still managing to keep an amused face. "Why do I get the feeling that you're not a very open-ended type of person?"

"Oh, I am. I'm just open-ended with people I know really well." I said.

"Is that so? Then I guess I'm gonna have to work on getting to know you better." Alvin answered with a smile.

"Are you flirting with me?" I asked gently.

"Depends on how you define 'flirting'." He answered.

I laughed gently to myself. "Alright. You are _definitely_ flirting with me."

"Don't act as if you aren't." He teased.

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help but smile.

"You still didn't answer my question." He said. "The one about your interests."

"That's because I have way too many to count." I said.

"Hmm. That's one thing we _don't _have in common." He said.

I raised my eyebrows. "So _you_ don't have a lot of interests?" I asked, but he shook his head. "So, like, nothing at all? Then what do you even do in your spare time? Besides going to the beach and bumping into innocent people like me."

My little joke at the end made him laugh. But then he sighed before saying, "To be honest, not much. Thank God it's Summer vacation, but if it weren't, the only thing I'd be doing is attend school."

"Oh." I said. I wanted to ask him about school, and what school he goes to, but that came off as a bit too stalker-ish, so I decided to keep it to myself.

We literally spent the next 3 hours talking about whatever came to mind. I told Alvin almost everything he wanted to know about me, while he did the same. I learned that he was really into sports, that he's been on several sports teams, that he likes the same type of music that I'm into, that he likes horror movies, he plays the electric guitar, and that he has two younger siblings - just like me.

3 hours came and went so quickly, that it literally felt like 5 minutes.

"So, do you come to the beach often? I've never seen you before." He said.

I laughed. "Well, the beach _is _pretty big..."

He smiled but shook his head. "No, what I mean is, well, I'm here almost everyday of the Summer. My dad works part-time at the Sporting Rental shop on the other side of the beach, so my brothers and I sometimes tag along to just chill here. And I see the same faces all the time, but I've never seen you before."

His statement made sense. "Oh, it's my first time coming here." I said.

He raised his eyebrows. "It is?"

I nodded. "Yeah. My sisters, our mom and I moved out here to Hollywood just a few weeks ago."

"No wonder." He said. "So, do you plan on returning to the beach after today?"

I smiled, sensing that he wanted to see me again, as much as I wanted to see him. But I sighed to myself, suddenly remembering that I was breaking all the rules, literally.

"Well, I hope so." I said.

"What do you mean?" Alvin asked.

I looked at him and said, "Well, to be honest, I'm not suppose to be here right now."

He just looked at me for a bit. "Why?"

"My mom doesn't know that my sisters and I snuck outta the house to come here. She's totally against us going out without her supervision." I admitted, feeling quite embarrassed after I said it.

"She is?" He asked.

I nodded. "Our mom is extremely protective over us. A bit too protective sometimes. Like, I get that she wants us to be safe. But we're 17 years old! She doesn't understand the fact that we aren't kids anymore."

"I get what you're saying. My dad is like that too." He said. "Well, except that he isn't _as _obsessively protective as your mom."

I rolled my eyes but smiled afterwards. "Does your dad know that you bring girls to the empty side of the beach without him knowing?" I teased.

He laughed and shook his head. "No, he doesn't know. And besides, you're the first one."

_AND ONCE AGAIN, I THINK I DIED ON THE INSIDE. OH MY GOD, DID HE REALLY JUST SAY WHAT I THINK HE SAID?_

I felt myself freeze for a second before asking, "I am?"

He nodded, then shrugged. "It's not everyday that you bump into someone you automatically become friendly with. Especially someone who messed up the person's shirt with ice cream." He teased.

"Oh, so is 'accidentally bumping' into someone a way you pick up girls?" I joked, making air quotes with my fingers.

Alvin laughed but said, "Nope. Like I said, you're the first one."

I raised my eyebrows as I sat back on my arms. "Why though? There are so many girls here on the beach. Why'd you want to hang out with me?"

He gave me a teasingful look. "Why did you agree to hang out with me?"

I smiled. "Good point."

He laughed, but shrugged again. "But I dunno. You seem different."

"Different?" I asked.

"In a good way." He said, smiling at me. "I mean, even though we just met, I somehow feel as if we're already friends."

I smiled. "I feel the same too."

"Really." He retorted. The sound of disbelief was swimming in his voice.

"Oh, you don't believe me?" I challenged.

"I do. But if you think about it, we had no idea that the other existed if it weren't for the fact that we literally bumped into each other at the ice cream parlour earlier. And now, we're here, sitting alone on the isolated side of the beach." He said.

"Maybe we really _were _meant to bump into each other." I said sweetly.

He laughed. "And you say that _I'm _flirting with you?"

I laughed back then shrugged. "Now we're even."

He sat back and laughed. "I guess so."

It suddenly grew silent between us. As I looked across the horizon, I could see the sun beginning to set, and the sky fading from a light blue, to a mixture of oranges and pinks. I don't know why, but I was in such a good mood right now - better than I had ever felt in a long time. Not only was Alvin and I getting friendly with each other, but there was also this sense of passion I could feel. Like we both said, we met each other just hours before, and here we are, talking to one another as if we've known each other for a while now.

It's no secret that I like him. But does he like me? I mean, we're speaking to each other, and flirting with each other at the same time. Ugh. I sound crazy. We're nothing but two acquaintances, having a friendly chat with each other on the beach - right?

But why do I feel as if it's...love at first sight?

"Alvin?" I asked suddenly.

I felt him turn towards me, but I just kept my eyes on the ocean. "Yeah?" He asked.

I pondered for a bit before sighing. "Are we friends?"

"Yeah, I guess you can say that." He answered.

"Even though we just met today?" I asked.

Alvin nodded. "Yeah. Why?"

I smiled, but shrugged. "I was just wondering."

He laughed gently. "Okay."

But I knew I had to get my thoughts out. I sat straight up and looked at him. "Am I really the first girl you've brought out here?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

"Promise?" I asked.

"I swear. I've never even been to this side of the beach except for today." He said, and I could tell that he was down right sincere.

"Alright." I said, looking into the ocean again. But after a second, I turned back to him. "Wait. If I'm the first girl you've ever brought out here, should I be worried?" I teased.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't worry. It's not like I'm gonna kidnap you."

I smiled, amused at this conversation. "Oh, I know. I can easily take you down anyway."

He gave me a look. "And what's that suppose to mean?"

I shrugged but smiled. "Let's say that you _did _kidnap me. I can easily get away."

He scoffed. "Sure you can." He teased.

"Are you underestimating me?" I asked.

"I didn't say that, Brittany. I thought it, but I didn't say it." He said, keeping an amused smile on his face.

Oh. So he wants to play it this way, huh?

I smiled darkly as I got up onto my feet, and ran a few steps away from him. I turned around and laughed when I saw Alvin in the near distance, still sitting on the pier, but looking extremely confused. He turned around and looked at me with a face that read, 'What the hell is this girl's problem?'

"What are you doing?" He called.

"Proving you wrong!" I called back, beginning to laugh uncontrollably.

I suddenly squealed when I saw him get on his feet before running towards me. I knew this was my cue to run. I ran around our empty section of the beach for the next minute or so, trying my best to run away from him. But I was starting to lose my breath. We've been running for at least a minute and a half now, and I was beginning to feel exhausted. I stopped running, only to see Alvin a few feet away from me. He smiled darkly when he saw that I stopped.

"Okay, okay. Time out." I said breathlessly.

"Nice try." He said.

"Alvin, seriously! I'm exhausted from all that running!" I said.

He laughed. "That's what you get for running away in the first place."

"Okay, I'm sorry!" I said, but gasped when he took a few more steps towards me. I took a couple of steps back, suddenly finding myself ankle deep in the ocean.

"Looks like you're trapped now, Brittany." He teased, walking towards me even more.

I laughed, taking a few more steps backwards until the bottom half of my legs were in the water. "Alvin, stop!" I squealed, though I was unable to stop laughing.

He laughed. "I thought you said you were able to 'take me down'. Or was that just your way of being cute?"

I rolled my eyes, trying to bite back a smile, but obviously failing at it. "Maybe both." I said.

He laughed. "Right."

I eyed him carefully. "You better not push me in the water."

He chuckled. "Why would I do that?"

I had a feeling - just a slight feeling - that we would end up pushing each other into the water, so I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, and lightly tossed it onto the sand before it could get wet. When I saw that Alvin did the same, I scoffed in disbelief, knowing what he wanted to do.

"You wouldn't dare." I threatened.

"Try me." He answered.

I took this as an opportunity to run. So I did, but automatically learned that it was a huge mistake. The moment I tried running, Alvin got a hold on me, wrapping his arms around my waist. I shrieked, trying to unwrap his arms around me, but with my constant laughing and giggling, I didn't realize that I accidentally stepped backwards, and into Alvin's chest. And with that, the two of us accidentally fell in the water. I squealed, but couldn't help but laugh non-stop. I was now soaking wet from head to toe. I looked over at Alvin and laughed when I saw that he was wet too.

"Great job, Brittany." Alvin said.

"Me? You're the one who chased me into the water!" I said.

"But you're the one who pushed the two of us in the water!" He fought back.

We just stared at each other for at least 5 seconds before we both burst out laughing. There was just something in me that wouldn't let me get mad at him. And by the looks of it, Alvin felt the same. He stood up, and held his hand out towards me. When I took it, he pulled me up, and we walked back to the dry sand. We let go of each other's hand, and tried to dry off. But that was literally impossible. The sand started to stick to every damp part of our body.

Just as I was squeezing my hair dry, I looked over at Alvin, who to my absolute surprised, took his shirt off. I felt my heart flutter again when I saw his flawless body, but I kept my cool. He turned to me, and I quickly darted my eyes away from him before he could catch me staring at him.

He laughed as he squeezed his shirt so that the water would drip out and said, "Remind me to _never_ chase you into the water again."

I laughed and said, "Believe me. I never wanna do that again either."

He laughed gently and said, "Well, looks like your shirt has ice cream _and_ sea water now. You _are _aware that you're still wearing that, right?" He asked, referring to the shirt I was wearing - the one he accidentally smeared ice cream all over when we met just hours ago.

I took this as an extreme opportunity to take this a step even further. Time to put my flirting skills into business. "I guess I forgot." I said.

He raised an eyebrow and smiled mischievously. "Now _you're_ flirting with me."

I smiled when he noticed. But I couldn't believe what I was about to do, but I did it anyway. I slipped my tank top over my head, revealing my white bikini top and said, "I guess I am."

He laughed softly, before taking a few steps towards me, filling the gap between us. We just stared at each other for a while. I had the sudden urge to kiss him. I don't care if he's someone I just met. Heck, by the way we acted tonight, you would have thought we were in a relationship! But I stayed still, focusing on nothing but his eyes, and the steady beat of my heart.

"Alvin, I-" I said, but he cut me off.

"Shh." He said. I instantly shut my mouth.

And before we knew it, we were both leaning into each other.

We were about to kiss.

I could feel the heat come off his body. I could sense his urge. I wanted him. I wanted to kiss him.

We were so, so close until...

"Shit." I muttered under my breath when I heard my damn cellphone ring from behind me. We both leaned back into place. I felt my cheeks burn up while Alvin cleared his throat. I looked at him apologetically and said, "Sorry. Gotta get this."

"Go ahead." He said.

I turned around, bent down to pick up my cellphone, and cursed in my head when I saw Jeanette's name on my caller ID screen. I flipped my phone open, put it to my ear and said, "Hello?"

"Brittany! Where the hell are you? It's nearly 9 o'clock and Miss Miller will be coming home soon! And if she sees that we're not there, she will kill us!" Jeanette spazzed into the phone.

I swore under my breath, realizing that she was right. "Okay, okay. I'll be there soon."

"You better." Jeanette said.

"You and Eleanor go on ahead. I'll be home soon." I said.

"Yeah, okay." Answered Jeanette, before she hung up the phone.

I turned my cellphone off before going back to Alvin. Believe me, the last thing I wanted was to have this moment ruined. But if I wanted to keep myself out of trouble, I better get home quick before Miss Miller finds out. But before I could say anything, Alvin spoke up.

"Gotta go?" He asked.

I sighed. "Yeah."

He smiled vaguely. "It's alright. Now come on, let's get outta here."

Alvin picked up his cell phone from the ground before he and I hurriedly walked out of our isolated part of the beach, down the dock, and back to the heart of the beach where people were. Some were even starting to go home. Alvin stopped walking when I did. We both looked at each other for a bit before I spoke up.

"Look. I'm really sorry about leaving so soon." I said.

"No, it's fine." Alvin said.

"But I have to go. My mom will kill me if she realizes that I'm not home." I said.

Alvin laughed softly. "I understand."

I felt bad. I didn't want to leave him. That was the last thing I wanted to do. But I knew I had to. I couldn't risk Miss Miller finding out that we snuck out of the house.

"I had a really great time." I said.

"I did too." He said, smiling at me.

I sighed deeply to myself, still looking into his eyes. "So, goodbye?" I asked, but it came out into a whisper.

"Wait. Will I get to see you again?" He asked.

I smiled. "Of course." I said, though I wasn't even sure about that answer. _Will_ I get to see him again?

He smiled back. And just when I thought that things couldn't get better, Alvin leaned in and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I sighed and smiled when he pulled back.

"Now go, before your mom finds out you're gone." He said teasingly.

I laughed gently to myself before I nodded my head. "Alright."

"Bye." He said.

"Bye." I sighed, giving him one more smile before I walked out of the beach, into the parking lot, and into my car. I couldn't believe what happened today. I met someone who seems beyond perfect. I like him, and I know he likes me back.

I arrived back at home, only to find my sisters already in their PJs. I sighed, upset at the fact that I was back home, but glad to know that Miss Miller didn't arrive home yet either. But the moment I stepped into the house, Jeanette and Eleanor gave me the darkest look ever.

"Thanks for ditching us, Britt." Said Eleanor.

"Yeah! I thought you said you were only buying a drink!" Jeanette exclaimed.

I sighed. "I'm sorry, alright? I'll make it up to you guys."

"Where did you go anyway? We waited 30 minutes for you!" Eleanor exclaimed.

"Um..." I said, but I was unable to find words.

"Whatever. Doesn't matter anymore. At least you're home before mom is back." Said Eleanor. "And besides, Jeanette and I found some people to play volleyball with anyway."

Jeanette smiled. "Yeah. When I was at the rental shop, I invited these two boys to come along with us. They're really nice. Their dad owns the-"

"Well, that's good." I said, cutting her off. "Anyway, I'm gonna go take a shower upstairs, alright?"

"Yeah, speaking of that...why are you soaking wet?" Eleanor asked.

I bit my lip for a second before saying, "I fell...in the water."

Eleanor raised her eyebrows before shrugging. "Okay. Well, we'll get dinner ready, alright?"

I nodded before heading up the stairs, into my bedroom, and into my washroom to take a hot shower. After I finished, I put on my PJ pants and a tank top before going downstairs. I was surprised to find Miss Miller already home, but I kept composure, in case she suspected anything suspicious. I made my way to the dinner table where she, Jeanette and Eleanor sat.

"Hey mom." I said, sitting down. "How was work?"

Miss Miller sighed. "Long and boring, as usual. But I'm glad to be home now."

Jeanette, Eleanor and I just exchanged quick glances with each other.

"So, what did you girls do all day?" Miss Miller asked.

"Oh, you know. The usual." Answered Eleanor. "We just hung out around the house."

"Speaking of that. I was thinking, well, I know that you girls wanted to go to the beach earlier, but I said no. But thinking about it, well, you three are old enough to depend on yourselves. So I've made up my mind." Said Miss Miller. "You girls are allowed to go out, ONLY if you ask my permission first. And you MUST be back by 9 o'clock, alright?"

Jeanette, Eleanor and I gasped. "Really, mom?" I asked.

Miss Miller nodded. "Yes, but I have a few conditions."

We just looked at her.

"No smoking, no alcohol and ESPECIALLY no boys." Miss Miller said.

"Of course, mom." Said Jeanette, while Eleanor nodded.

I said nothing.

That night, I laid in bed, not only thinking about what Miss Miller told us, but also thinking about Alvin. And with the fact that Miss Miller is now letting us out of the house without her 'obsessive parental guidance', made me feel more free. But about her rules...I mean, sure, no smoking and no alcohol was no problem at all. But the last part of her rule made my heart crumble up in pieces. But I don't care about what she said about 'No boys'.

I wasn't going to hold back on what my heart wants. And I know that my heart wants Alvin.

I could feel something, knowing that after what happened between Alvin and I, TODAY was just the first step into something new.

* * *

><p><strong>So what's gonna happen next? Will their romance bloom into something more?<strong>

**Oh, and did you see how I put in an AlvinxBrittany scene from Chipwrecked, into this chapter? :)**

**And if you guys didn't already figure out, the boys Jeanette and Eleanor were talking about (The ones they played volleyball with) are Simon and Theodore, of course :)**

**ANYWAY, thanks sooo much for reading! Hope you guys liked it, and please, please review!**


	4. I'll prove that I love him

**"You call it madness, but I call it love." - Don Byas**

**...**

1 month later.

It is now the first week of July. And within the past month, everything changed.

It's been an entire month since Alvin and I met for the first time. And like I said, a month changed everything for me. I knew I was falling for him, and I know he feels the same way too. I don't care if people think that this relationship is happening too quickly, because honestly, it's not. And who are people to judge what Alvin and I feel towards each other? If two people are really meant to be, then no amount of time can ever determine our relationship towards each other.

It's been a month since we met. And we love each other.

I don't want this to sound all corny, but after being with Alvin for a month, I guess 'Love at first sight' really does exist.

Alvin and I developed something really quick. Like, it was as if we instantly fell in love - which I think we did. We had our first kiss a week after we met, and I just felt so safe around him. I don't know how, but I guess we accidentally met each other for a reason, as if we were suppose to meet each other...

But that night, one month ago, when Miss Miller lifted up her 'rules to being an overly protective mother', she gave us more freedom of going out. It was a relief to know that Miss Miller is beginning to trust us enough to let us out of the house without her supervision. I mean, we're 17 years old. God.

But of course, Miss Miller always found a way to bring our moods down. Mine, at least. She told us that she'll let us have our freedom, only if we don't go around, abusing ourselves with alcohol and smoking and whatever. Okay, that's fine with me. I mean, I know Eleanor and Jeanette don't drink or smoke, so I don't need to worry about them. I don't smoke either, but I do have a couple of drinks every now and then...

But that's not the problem. The last part of our mom's condition was NO BOYS.

Miss Miller has this sort of fear that if she lets a boy near us, something bad will happen. Like, come on! I know Miss Miller wants us to be safe, but really. She can be a complete control freak when it comes to that. I guess TV shows today influence these kinds of things.

But like I said, I'm sure Eleanor and Jeanette have no problem with the 'No boys' rule. I wouldn't have had a problem either - until I met Alvin. And ever since then, all I wanted to do was to go out and see him, as much as he wanted to see me. So until then, going out and seeing Alvin is just my little secret - and my sisters'.

Yeah, Eleanor and Jeanette both know about Alvin. We all went back to the beach a few days after the first time we went, and I introduced them to each other. Let me tell you, my sisters were surprised when they realized that the Alvin was the boy who was staring at me from behind when we were first there.

But here's the surprising part. Remember how I 'ditched' my sisters on the beach when they wanted to play volleyball? And remember when Eleanor and Jeanette told me that they found some people to play with? Well, those two people were named Simon and Theodore, who were also Alvin's brothers.

The six of us became really close friends after that. I tried urging my sisters to start flirting with Simon and Theodore, but as usual, they didn't want to because they didn't want to 'disobey Miss Miller's rules'. Ugh, whatever then. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Jeanette and Eleanor barely ever break the rules - unless I get to the point where I just annoy them to death, and they just have to give in.

I go down to the beach almost everyday. I would always feel my heart escalate into a chorus of fluttering beats whenever I see Alvin there, waiting for me. We would spend the entire day with each other, until it was time for me to go. He would kiss me goodbye, and I would drive back home. But before going to sleep for the night, Alvin and I would often talk on the phone all night long.

And on days when I don't go to the beach, Alvin would drive up here, and spend the whole day with me at home. I could tell that Jeanette and Eleanor were feeling suspicious, which amused me on the inside, but they didn't say anything about it. Alvin would leave just a few minutes before Miss Miller came back home from work. He often likes to tease me by saying that he doesn't feel like leaving, and that he _wants_ me to get in trouble by breaking Miss Miller's rule of 'No boys'.

I just roll my eyes whenever he says that. Alvin and I have gotten closer to each other ever since we first met, and our true personalities have been exposed to one another. Alvin, for example, loves to get on my nerves, which eventually leads me to having my mood change into something between the mixture of being pissed off, and being frustrated. But he would always find a way to make me smile again.

That's what I love about him. Though we've only been in this relationship for about 4 weeks, Alvin and I know each other from the inside out. I guess it's because we spend almost every waking minute with each other, but I guess that's still a good thing. I mean, judging by the way we act around each other, you would have thought that we've known each other for years!

The feelings I have for him are indescribable. I've never felt anything like this before. I know I love him. There's no doubt about that. And I know that Alvin loves me too. A month of knowing each other or not, I don't care. What we have is real.

I know what my heart is telling me. I am incredibly, completely, head-over-heels in love with Alvin.

It was a sunny Friday afternoon. It was a little past 6:30PM. Alvin came over today, much to my surprise because I phoned him, saying that I was going to the beach to see him. But he came over, making my day a trillion times better, like he usually does. Whenever I see him, a smile just lights up on my face. I feel that I fall more in love with him each time I see him, especially when I see the way he smiles whenever he sees me.

We were in the living room, on the couch, 'watching' a movie. Well, we weren't exactly watching it. The TV was turned on, the movie was playing, but Alvin and I had very little attention to it. In fact, we had no attention to it at all. We were occupied in something else, if you know what I mean.

I laughed lightly as we kissed, feeling his fingers trace my sides of my body in a flawless manner. The way he touched me effortlessly while his lips were on mine made my heart jump even more, and the heat between us seemed to be increasing by the second. We've been kissing for about an hour now, but each kiss seemed to be getting better.

I didn't want to stop, and it seemed like Alvin certainly didn't want to either.

We continued to kiss until I felt him lightly push me onto my back. I smiled against his lips when I felt my head hit the cushion, and when I felt Alvin crawl over me. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer to me, deepening our kiss even more.

No, it wasn't like we were planning to do anything too explicit - not now, at least. But when Alvin and I have our private make out sessions, it can get really steamy. Like, incredibly steamy.

I guess I was too caught up in the moment, because when Alvin pulled away from the kiss, I greedily pulled his lips back to mine. We resumed our kiss for a few more seconds before he pulled away from me again, this time, staring at me as he hovered over top of me.

I laid there, under him, trying to catch my breath, and trying to slow down my heart rate at the same time. I looked up to meet Alvin's eyes, and finally asked, "What's wrong?"

"Did you hear something?" He asked me.

"Um, no..." I said slowly.

"Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure I heard something." Alvin said.

I rolled my eyes before saying, "It's probably nothing." I said softly before pulling him towards me again.

I reached up, wanting to kiss him again. But he resisted, making me frown. I unwrapped my arms from around his neck, and crossed them over my chest. I, who was still lying under him of course, looked up into his eyes and sighed in frustration.

"What now?" I asked.

He looked down to meet my gaze. "I swear, Britt. I heard something." He told me.

I sighed out loud. He got off of me before I sat back up. I didn't like the fact that we stopped kissing, especially when it was beginning to heat up even more, but I guess if Alvin _did _hear something - or someone - stopping our make out session is probably a smart thing to do. I listened hard, into the silence, but like I had thought, there was nothing.

"I hear nothing." I said plainly and impatiently, wanting to get back to kissing him.

Alvin frowned slightly. "But-"

"And would you just relax? No one is in this house but us." I told him.

He slightly rolled his eyes. "Alright, fine." He said.

I smirked as I turned to him. "See? What did I tell you? There's no one. You're just hearing things, Alvin."

He rolled his eyes before smiling at me. "Are you saying that I'm paranoid or something?" He teased.

I laughed and shrugged. "That's one way of saying it."

He rolled his eyes again. "Says you."

"Whatever." I said before gently pulling him by his shirt's collar until we were face to face. I smiled darkly and whispered, "Anyway, I don't know about you, but I wanna continue what you and I were doing just a few moments ago."

He laughed softly before wrapping his arms around my waist, and pulling me closer to him. I felt the heated ecstasy overtake my entire body when he gently placed his lips on mine. As I kissed him, I got on my knees, gently pushed him backwards onto the couch, and climbed on top of him until I was straddling on his stomach.

Each kiss. Each touch. Each breath.

Everything was flawless. Everything was perfect until...

"Hey, Britt? Can you help us with the- _OH MY GOD_!"

The moment I heard the voice, I almost went into a heart attack - not literally of course. But when I heard it, I instantly pulled away from Alvin, and accidentally rolled off of him, and onto the floor.

I looked up, only to see Eleanor looking at me and Alvin with a disturbed but expected look on her face. Well, I couldn't blame her. She _did _just walk in on me and Alvin kissing, after all.

I cleared my throat after getting up off the floor. I sat back on the couch, while Alvin sat back up too. The both of us tried our best to act as if nothing happened, but that was literally impossible. I looked up to where Eleanor stood and smiled nervously.

"Oh, God. For once in my life, I wish I was blind." Eleanor mumbled to herself.

I stifled a nervous laugh. "Erm, hey Eleanor."

She rolled her eyes. "For the last time guys, can you stop making out in public? Or at least do it where no one can see you."

"I thought you and Jeanette went out for lunch and did a bit of grocery shopping." I said, a little bit too quickly. But I just wanted to change to subject of the conversation. It was getting awkward.

"We decided to get take-out instead." Answered Eleanor. "But just because Jeanette and I are out, and that you two have the whole house to yourselves, doesn't mean that you can start doing...whatever it was you guys were doing."

My cheeks began to blush dangerously. But I managed to cover up my embarrassment by just simply rolling my eyes to myself, acting as if I wasn't bothered by it.

"I told you I heard something." Alvin muttered from behind me.

"Yeah, good thing too. Who knows what would have happened if we didn't come home fast enough." Eleanor said.

I just rolled my eyes again. I sighed then said, "What do you need, Elle?"

"What?" Eleanor asked.

"You said something about needing help." I said.

"Oh. Well, Jeanette and I needed help carrying the groceries in, but since you and Alvin are too busy sucking each other's faces, then..." Eleanor trailed off, failing to hide an amused smile behind her face.

I sighed in disgust before getting up off the couch. I looked at Alvin and said, "I'll be back."

He nodded before I walked into the front enterance to where Jeanette was, who was struggling to balance all the groceries in her bag. I walked over to her and caught a bag before it toppled onto the floor.

After Jeanette placed them on the counter, she sighed in relief as she looked at me. "Thanks, Britt."

"No problem." I said to her.

But she suddenly laughed to herself. "What made you wanna help all of a sudden? You never help with bringing the groceries in."

I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could, Eleanor jumped in. "I had to, before she and Alvin went too far." Eleanor said.

"Too far in what?" Jeanette asked.

I glared at Eleanor, but it was clear she was trying to avoid making eye contact with me. Eleanor laughed and said, "Their game of 'Tongue hockey."

Jeanette burst out laughing while I rolled my eyes. I said nothing, and just crossed my arms over my chest. Just before I was about to snap at my sisters for teasing me, Alvin walked into the kitchen. And instantly, the irritating feeling I felt for my sisters were gone. I sighed and smiled when he walked in. He came over to me, and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"Hi, Alvin. Are you staying for dinner?" Jeanette asked.

Alvin shook his head. "Can't. I promised Dave that I'll be home by 7. Simon, Theodore and I have to help him on his car."

"What's wrong with his car?" Jeanette asked.

Alvin shrugged. "The engine keeps on backfiring."

"Speaking of Simon and Theodore, how come they never come over?" Asked Eleanor.

"They're always down at the beach helping Dave out at the rental shop." Alvin said, referring to his dad who works at the Sports rental shop down at the beach.

"Why aren't you helping out?" Eleanor asked.

"Because it's boring as hell." Answered Alvin. "And I'd rather spend my day with Brittany anyway."

I smiled and sighed. It was things like those that make my day a trillion times better.

"Hm." Said Eleanor. "I miss Simon and Theo. They should come here more often."

"Why don't you guys go visit them down at the beach then? I'm pretty sure they want to see you and Jeanette again." Alvin told her.

Eleanor sighed. "We would go, but I wouldn't want to risk the chance of Miss Miller finding out."

I sighed out loud. "Come on, Elle. Who cares about Miss Miller's stupid rules? I break her rules everyday by seeing Alvin! And besides, I don't get why mom has to be so naive about her rule of 'No boys'."

Eleanor shrugged. "But still..."

"And Alvin leaves before Miss Miller comes back from work, after all. So there is no way for her to find out. Simple as that." I said.

Jeanette sighed out loud. "I dunno. But we'll think about it."

"Do you like Simon and Theodore?" Alvin teased, looking at my sisters.

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "They're just our friends, Alvin. We miss hanging out with them. We're not like you and Brittany, who like to kiss each other every second of the day."

I rolled my eyes again.

"Okay, anyway, I think we should get started on dinner." Said Jeanette, trying to avoid further conflict between me and Eleanor.

"Dinner? But I thought you and Eleanor just had lunch!" I said.

"That was hours ago. And you know how Miss Miller gets when we don't have dinner prepared once she gets home." Answered Jeanette.

"Right." I muttered.

"Anyway, we're gonna start on dinner, okay?" Asked Jeanette. I nodded before my sisters grabbed the groceries off the floor, before they said goodnight to Alvin, and before they walked back into the kitchen.

"Yeah, and I should get going too. It's almost 7 anyway." Alvin said.

I frowned as I turned to him. "Do you have to?"

"Yeah, unless you want Dave to kill me for being late - again." He said, smirking.

"But I want you to stay." I said gently.

He laughed. "I know. But I really have to go. If I could stay, I would. But Dave would probably never let me leave the house again if I was late for a second time."

I sighed before reaching up to kiss him. We kissed for a moment or so before finally pulling away. "Fine. But will I see you tomorrow?"

"Of course." He said, before putting his shoes and his jacket on. He gave me one more quick kiss before leaning towards my ear to whisper, "I love you."

I felt a little weak in the knees when I felt his breath trickle the side of my neck. I looked up into his eyes and said, "I love you too."

I watched as he got into his car, before driving away. I don't know what it was about Alvin that made me feel like I was worth a billion dollars, but whatever it is, I never want this feeling to go away. And like I mentioned earlier, I know that he loves me as much as I love him, and what we have is the real thing. After closing the door, I walked into the kitchen to help my sisters with dinner. Eleanor was boiling water as she set a bowl of dried noodles beside it.

"Are we having spaghetti for dinner?" I asked.

Eleanor nodded. "Yup! We bought cupcakes for dessert too."

"Sounds great." I said, starting to hate myself for feeling hungry.

"Did Alvin leave yet?" Jeanette asked.

"Yeah." I said. "Why?"

"Well, Eleanor and I want to talk to you about some things." Said Jeanette, looking at me.

I sighed exasperatedly as I felt my cheeks begin to burn up. "I know what you're gonna say, but I swear. Alvin uses protection!"

Jeanette and Eleanor said nothing. Eleanor accidentally dropped the wooden spoon she was holding, while Jeanette's mouth slightly dropped open. They just stood there, frozen as stone, looking at me with blank expressions on their faces.

"What did I say?" I asked slowly.

"Oh my god, EW! GOD, BRITT! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU JUST TOLD US THAT!" Eleanor squealed in disgust.

"What the hell, Brittany! We were gonna talk about something else!" Jeanette replied, equally as grossed out as Eleanor.

At first, I couldn't understand why my sisters were freaking out. And then it hit me. I felt my cheeks burn up in flaming humiliation. Did I seriously just say what I think I said? CRAP! Look what I just did! Because of my dumb habits of jumping to conclusions right away, I accidentally revealed to my sisters that I'm not a virgin anymore! God, of all things to say, that was the one thing I swore to never tell. But too late for that now. God, I am such an idiot!

"Sorry!" I exclaimed nervously, cupping my hands over my mouth. "But I thought you guys already knew!"

"You THOUGHT we knew? Brittany, who knows _what _you and Alvin do behind closed doors." Jeanette shuddered. "Gosh, we didn't need to _know _that you two are actually having sex..."

"And why would you assume that we knew anyway?" Eleanor asked.

"Okay, just pretend I never said anything..." I mumbled under my breath, nervously tucking a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Note to self: Never allow Alvin and Brittany to be alone in a room together." Jeanette muttered to Eleanor.

I rolled my eyes, trying to cover up my embarrassment. "Fine, what _were _you gonna say then?"

It was clear that my sisters were still mentally disturbed about what I just said, but Jeanette cleared her throat as she looked at me. "Well, you love Alvin right? And he loves you?"

I just nodded my head.

She sighed. "Look Britt. We're happy for you and everything. We're glad that you found someone like Alvin." Jeanette started off slowly. "But don't you think that you two are taking your relationship too fast?"

I looked at her as if she was crazy. "No." I said.

"Are you sure? I mean, you two have only known each other for a month. And you guys are already acting as if you've been in a relationship for years." Said Jeanette.

I shrugged. "That's because we love each other. You guys won't understand it, but there's just something about Alvin that made me connect to him so fast. And why are you guys saying it as if it's a bad thing?" I asked.

"It's not necessarily a bad thing, Brittany. But we just want you to look out for yourself. We don't want you to get hurt." Eleanor said.

"Why would I get hurt?" I asked him, unhappy at how this conversation is going.

Eleanor sighed. "You know how relationships are nowadays, Britt. You never know what can happen."

I shook my head. "Well, you don't need to worry about that. You guys can see how much Alvin cares about me. He would never hurt me."

Jeanette sighed deeply. "But Britt, if you think about it, what you guys have is just a Summer fling. Because once the Summer ends, you'll be off to school, and Alvin will be off to school too. You guys will barely have any time to spend with each other."

"Do you even know which school he goes to?" Eleanor asked me.

I bit my lip for two seconds. "No..." I said. "But that doesn't matter. Who cares if he goes to a different school? The only thing that does matter is that we're here for each other. And you're wrong, Jeanette. This is more than just a Summer fling. Alvin and I are actually in a relationship."

"Yeah, we know that Britt. We see that. But-" Jeanette began.

"I love him." I said, cutting her off.

"Exactly. We know you love him, Brittany. But we don't want you to rush into this relationship too quickly. We're just concerned about you, and we don't want you to go through anything that may emotionally hurt you, whether it's your feelings or anything else." Jeanette said.

I sighed and shook my head. "I know for a fact that Alvin won't hurt me. I can tell that he loves me too much to even think about hurting me. And I feel the same way about him. I love him, and I would never hurt him in any way either."

"But Brittany-" Eleanor started.

"Why can't you guys just leave it as that? Why can't you just accept the fact that I'm happy with someone who loves me as much as I love him?" I asked, almost on the edge of frustration.

Jeanette sighed deeply before looking at me. "Are you sure about your feelings for him?"

"I am." I said without hesitation.

"And are you sure you _know_ you love him?" Jeanette asked.

"I'm sure." I answered.

"But Brittany, how are you sure that this is what true love feels like?" Eleanor asked me.

"Because it just is, Eleanor! For once in my life, I found someone who not only loves me, but I found someone who I can feel completely comfortable around. There is nothing I would change about the relationship I have with Alvin." I snapped.

"We know that Brittany. But what Jeanette and I are saying is that we think you're falling in love too quickly!" Eleanor exclaimed.

I just stared at her in disbelief.

"And sooner or later, someone is gonna end up getting hurt. The only thing Jeanette and I want is to prevent YOU from getting hurt." Eleanor said.

I shook my head, unable to wrap my head around this conversation. My sisters are wrong. I _know _that they're wrong. I'm not falling in love too quickly because I know the feelings I have for Alvin are the same feelings he has for me. I just don't get why my sisters are being like this. I mean, they can clearly see how genuine Alvin is. Alvin is the most real and honest person I know. He is the sweetest and most loving guy I know, and that's the real him. There's nothing that would change him.

And I know for a fact that my heart will never get broken. Alvin just isn't that type of guy. He just isn't.

"That won't happen. Alvin isn't like that. He would never do anything to upset me. Trust me when I say this, but he is the sweetest guy in the world. " I said.

"We know he is, Brittany. We see how much he cares about you. But like we said, Eleanor and I think you guys are taking this relationship too fast. It's eventually going to rebound into something that may result into someone getting hurt!" Jeanette told me.

I shook my head again, wanting to leave - now. I know that my sisters are concerned about me, but I just won't allow myself to listen to them.

I wanted to show my sisters how wrong they are about judging mine and Alvin's relationship. I wanted to show them how I don't care about what people say about us. I wanted to show how much he truly means to me. I want to prove to them that I'm not afraid of showing everyone that I love him.

"I know Alvin is the one. He _is_ the one." I said.

Eleanor sighed deeply, clearly showing how frustrated she is at me for being my usual temper-headed self for not wanting to listen to them. Jeanette just faintly shook her head.

"And to prove it, I'm gonna tell Miss Miller." I said.

Both of my sisters looked at me, wide-eyed. Jeanette gasped. "Wait, what?"

"I'm gonna tell Miss Miller about Alvin." I answered plainly.

"Britt, you _know _Miss Miller is gonna kill you, right? She's gonna find out that you broke her rules about 'No boys'!" Eleanor exclaimed. "She's gonna be so mad! And when Miss Miller gets mad, there's no end to it."

I knew Eleanor was right. Miss Miller would probably never let me hear the end of it. But as of now, I don't care. I shrugged as I looked at my sisters. "I don't care. If you two can't realize how much I love Alvin, then I'm gonna prove it to you by telling Miss Miller."

"But Miss Miller won't allow it, Brittany!" Jeanette said.

I shrugged. "She probably won't. But she can't stop me from seeing him. Miss Miller can't be in charge of who I want to be with. But she just needs to understand that I love him, and that she can't stop me from loving him. I want to prove that what Alvin and I have is real."

My sisters looked at each other nervously. I sighed to myself. I knew I was doing a stupid thing. I know Miss Miller will probably go into a fit once I tell her that I'm in love with someone who equally loves me. But even though I broke her rules of 'No boys', I honestly don't care. Miss Miller will just have to accept the fact that her 'little girl' is growing up.

Miss Miller needs to realize that she needs to let go over being an overly protective mom, and see that Jeanette, Eleanor and I need our freedom - more freedom than she's giving us. _Me _especially. Even though our mom is totally against us having boyfriends, Miss Miller needs to know that I love someone.

"When are you gonna tell her?" Eleanor asked quietly.

I sighed once more. A few moments of pure silence passed us until I finally spoke up and whispered, "When the time is right."

* * *

><p><strong>Do you guys think Alvin and Brittany are taking their relationship too fast? Do you agree with Jeanette and Eleanor when they say that Brittany is falling in love too quickly? And what do you think will happen when Brittany tells Miss Miller?<strong>

**Thanks so much for reading everyone :D**

**Please review!**


	5. Just another secret about love

**"Secrets are made to be found out with time." - Charles Sanford**

**...**

1 week later...

It was another bright and gorgeous Summer day. The best part of it was that the temperature and weather was cool and crisp. Today, I was dressed in a floral Summer dress, with white sandals, and my hair was tied back. It was just a little bit past 1PM when I walked out of my bedroom and skipped down the stairs quickly. The moment I was about to reach the front door, I was stopped - again.

"Where are you going?" Asked Eleanor, before taking a bite of the orange popsicle she held in her hand.

I sighed. This is what I hated. Sometimes Eleanor and Jeanette can never leave me alone, and they always get in my business. Sometimes I think they're even worse than Miss Miller. "I'm going out." I said.

"Where?" She asked again.

This time, I groaned out loud. "Why does it matter to you, Eleanor? Lately, you and Jeanette have been treating me as if I'm 10 years old. I'm 17, remember? We all are!"

Eleanor slightly rolled her eyes. "Britt, it's not that we don't want you to go out. We just want to know where you're going."

"I'm going out to see Alvin, alright?" I said, beginning to feel agitated.

"Hm. Why am I not surprised." Eleanor said.

I turned to my sister and glared at her. "Okay. What is your problem, Eleanor?"

Eleanor said, "There's no problem, Brittany. But I'm just saying that you've-"

I cut her off. "If there's no problem, how come you and Jeanette are always acting as if you don't want me to be with Alvin? Is this because of the conversation we all had last week? Because I'm not going to listen to you and Jeanette. You guys can't talk shit about my relationship with him because I'm not gonna leave him."

Eleanor groaned. "Jeanette and I NEVER said anything about wanting to break yours and Alvin's relationship."

"Then why are you acting like this? Why can't you just be happy for me?" I asked.

But before Eleanor could open her mouth, Jeanette walked in. "Whoa, okay, what's going on here? What's with all the yelling?" Jeanette asked.

Eleanor sighed as she turned to Jeanette. "Jeanette, I'm trying to talk to Brittany, and I'm trying to talk some sense into her."

"Some SENSE?" I scoffed in disbelief.

Eleanor turned back to me. "Listen, Britt. Jeanette and I _are _happy that you've found someone who loves you as much as you love him. But as your sisters, we're just concerned about you."

"Can we not talk about this again?" I groaned. "We had the exact same conversation last week, and you know that no matter what you say, I'm not gonna listen."

"Can't you just listen to what I'm gonna say first?" Eleanor exclaimed.

"I already did!" I fought back.

Jeanette sighed before turning to me. "Eleanor's right, Britt. We just want you to look out for yourself. We're not saying that Alvin isn't right for you, because we can see how much he loves you. We really can."

"Then why are you guys acting as if he doesn't?" I asked.

"Britt, since this is your first relationship like, ever - _especially_ since you and Alvin are getting downright serious - we just want you to make sure you know how to handle a relationship. And like Jeanette said, we know Alvin's a good boyfriend to you, but we just want you to look out for yourself." Eleanor said.

I sighed and felt myself begin to calm down. "Look, I know you guys are concerned about me. And I appreciate it, I really do. But you guys don't need to worry about anything. Mine and Alvin's relationship is going perfectly fine."

"Yeah, we can see that. But Elle and I don't want you to rush into things too quickly. You may regret it later on." Said Jeanette.

I sighed deeply to myself, but said nothing.

"Fine. Brittany, if you don't want to listen to us, then you don't have to. But Jeanette and I are only saying what we think because we want to prevent you from things like getting your heart broken. And we don't want Miss Miller to find out the hard way either." Said Eleanor.

I sighed again. I knew I was being stubborn. I honestly hated it when my stubbornness gets the best of me, but sometimes I just can't help it. I looked at my sisters and said, "I'm not going to get my heart broken. Alvin's the one I want to be with."

Jeanette and Eleanor looked at each other, then back at me. "But how do you know that, Brittany?" Jeanette asked.

"Because he just is, okay?" I said. "You guys don't understand how love feels until you've really experienced it. And I know that I love Alvin. I don't even have to think over it. I'm in love with him."

Jeanette sighed deeply. The three of us said nothing for a while until Jeanette finally spoke up again. "Okay. But Britt, just make sure you do what's right for you."

I nodded. "I know."

"Especially since you and Alvin are already doing...'extra activities' behind closed doors, if you know what I mean." Eleanor added in quickly. "So make sure you're being careful with that too."

Jeanette bit her lip to prevent herself from laughing, but failed. The bitter mood I felt towards my sisters just melted away. I just rolled my eyes, but I couldn't help but smile. I just couldn't bring myself up to get mad at my sisters. I love them too much, and I know they're only looking out for me.

"Don't worry, we are." I said, feeling slightly embarrassed after saying it.

Jeanette and Eleanor laughed. "Well, you better get going. You don't want to keep Alvin waiting." Said Jeanette.

I nodded before opening the door. I gave my sisters one more wave before heading out the door, and before I began to walk. Thankfully, the beach was just down the road. It only took me at least 15 minutes before I arrived there. I went down to the area where we usually meet up, but today, he wasn't there. This was weird. Alvin would always be the one waiting for me first. And I'm sure he would tell me beforehand if he was going to be late or something.

He didn't forget, did he? Of course not. I mean, why would he? We see each other everyday, and it would just be really weird for one of us to forget all of a sudden.

I decided to wait for a few more minutes in case he arrived. But after 10 minutes, he never came. This was just weird. Should I call him? Probably. I reached into my bag and pulled out my cell phone. But one second before I was about to call him, I felt a pair of arms begin to gently wrap themselves around my waist.

I went into shock for just half a second before realizing who it is. I smiled to myself before dropping my phone back into my bag. I felt him kiss my left shoulder, automatically sending shivers down my spine. I giggled lightly before turning around. I suddenly lost myself when I looked into his eyes.

He smiled as he wrapped his arms around me. "Hi, beautiful."

I smiled and rolled my eyes. "You're late." I joked.

He laughed gently. "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. But Dave kinda forced me to hang back at the shop to help him clean up."

I laughed. "Oh, I see. I was wondering where my boyfriend went." I teased sweetly.

He rolled his eyes teasingly before leaning in to give me a kiss on the lips. "So, what should we do today?" He asked, when we pulled away.

"Wanna find somewhere to sit down first?" I asked.

"Um, alright." He asked.

I sighed to myself. I had to talk to him. I had to talk to him regarding what my sisters and I talked over just last week AND what we talked about earlier today as well. We walked down the beach, hand in hand, until we found a nice and quiet place to sit. We found an empty picnic bench in the shade and sat down. At first, we just casually talked about whatever came to mind. But as we talked, I had something burning in the back of my mind.

Last week, I made up my mind and decided that I was gonna tell Miss Miller about my relationship with Alvin. Call me crazy, but I don't care. Even though I'm 100% sure Miss Miller will throw a tantrum, she just has to realize that I'm not a little girl anymore, and that I'm old enough to make my own decisions. And despite how against Miss Miller is about me having a boyfriend, and despite how upset and angry she will be at me when she finds out that I broke the rules, I just need to tell her.

Not only do I need to tell her, I _want_ to tell her. My mom just has to get over it, and accept the fact that I'm with someone now. Like I said a trillion times before, I'm an adult now, and I know how to control my life - especially when it comes to relationship. Alvin and I are both committed to our relationship.

But last week when I told my sisters about it, they tried to do anything and everything they could to prevent me from telling Miss Miller. They knew that I would get in deep trouble. I know I would too. But after what Jeanette and Eleanor told me last week, about how Alvin and I are supposedly 'rushing' into this relationship too quickly, I'm ready to prove them wrong.

I looked at Alvin as he spoke. To be honest, I wasn't listening to a word he was saying. But that's okay. I love hearing the sound of his voice anyway. I sighed to myself. I've never met someone like him before, but then again, Alvin has been my first and only boyfriend; and I would like it to stay that way. I love him. I _know _I love him. He makes my day a million times better, even just by smiling. I waited a few more seconds before I interrupted.

I had to tell him that I was planning to tell Miss Miller about us. Though Alvin has never met my mother, he knows all about her from all the things I tell her. But he also knows how protective Miss Miller is of me and my sisters, and he especially knows about her extremely strict rules and policies - especially the rule I broke. No boys.

"Alvin?" I asked.

He looked at me. "Yeah?"

I sighed silently. "Can I talk to you?"

"Of course." He said softly. "What's up?"

I bit my lip for half a second, but nothing came out of my mouth. I wasn't scared of telling him or anything. I mean, why would I be? It's not that big of a deal. But I was just scared that Alvin would think that telling Miss Miller is a bad idea. And that was the last thing I wanted to hear.

"Britt, what's wrong?" Alvin asked, noticing my reluctance to speak.

I sighed once more before speaking up. "Well, you know how Miss Miller is kinda...protective of me and my sisters right?"

Alvin nodded slowly.

"And you understand why she doesn't want any of us to be dating anyone, right?" I asked again. "Like, the thing she fears most is having me and my sisters in a relationship with a boy too soon. And the only thing she wants is to protect us because Jeanette, Eleanor and I are all she has. She wants us to stay single for as long as possible..."

Alvin just looked at me, staring at me with a blank expression for at least a few seconds. "Brittany, you're not...you're not breaking up with me, are you?"

I gasped. "What? NO! Oh, God no. Alvin, I'm not breaking up with you, I swear." I said.

He raised his eyebrows at me teasing matter. "Really." He retorted.

I rolled my eyes and smiled, knowing that he was just playing along now, just to get on my nerves. I reached over across the picnic table, gave him a quick kiss on the lips, pulled back, looked at him in the eyes and said, "I swear."

He laughed softly before giving me another kiss. I sat back down after we pulled away.

"So what's wrong, Britt?" Alvin asked me.

I decided that I should just tell him right away without delaying anything even more. I looked up into his eyes, sighed and said, "I want to tell Miss Miller about us. Our relationship."

Alvin stared at me for at least two seconds. "Wait, WHAT?"

I sighed. "Baby, listen. I-"

"Brittany, I thought you said that your mom is against you having a boyfriend! So why are you gonna tell her?" Alvin asked. "Are you trying to get in trouble on purpose?"

I looked away for half a second before returning my gaze back to him. "Because I want to prove to my sisters _and _to my mom that I'm old enough to handle a relationship. Especially with someone I love - someone like you!"

"Babe, you know that I love you too. But I don't want you to get in trouble. From what you tell me about your mom, breaking her rules is the last thing you wanna do." Alvin exclaimed.

"I don't care." I said truthfully. "I don't care if Miss Miller will get mad at me. But I just want her to know. I want her to realize that she has to let go of me, and that I'm not a little kid anymore. I told you Alvin, that Miss Miller protects me as if I'm still 5 years old. But I wanna prove to her that I'm mature enough to handle my own situations."

Alvin sighed and pondered at his thoughts. "Listen, Britt. I don't mind you telling your mom about our relationship. In fact, it would be great if your mom knew because we wouldn't have to hide it from her anymore. But _you _told me that your mom is completely against you having relationships."

"I know, Alvin. But what can she do about it? It's not like she can break us up." I said.

"But she _is _your mom..." Alvin said.

"Even though she is, she can't control every single part of my life. I'm an adult now. I have to make my own decision too, you know." I said.

"Why doesn't your mom allow you to have a relationship in the first place?" Alvin asked.

I sighed. "She has this sort of 'fear' that something bad will happen to us if my sisters and I have a boyfriend. Whether it's experiencing our first heartbreak, or something else like that. She just doesn't want us to get our hearts broken."

"Brittany, you know I would never do that." Alvin said gently, but seriously.

"I know, babe. I know you wouldn't. But my mom doesn't understand that. Even though I haven't even told her, I just _know _that she will jump into conclusions and judge our relationship." I said. "But once I tell her, I'm gonna do my best to prove that you're not like other boys, and that you would never do anything bad to hurt me. I just want to show my mom that she doesn't have to be afraid to letting me off on my own."

Alvin sighed. "Well, if you feel like doing that, then..."

"Look. I'm not thrilled at the idea either, okay? But like I said, I wanna prove them wrong. I want to show Miss Miller that she can stop being so overly protective of me, and let me live my own life with the people I want to be with. And I want to prove Eleanor and Jeanette wrong as well." I said.

"Why? What did Eleanor and Jeanette say?" Alvin asked.

I didn't say anything at first. I waited a few seconds before finally looking back at him. "Well, my sisters kinda think that we're rushing into this relationship."

"Really?" He asked, though I could sense that he totally disagreed.

I nodded. "Yeah."

There was silence between us for a few seconds before Alvin said, "Do _you _think this relationship is going too fast?" He asked me.

"No. Of course not." I said. "I didn't listen to my sisters. Why would I anyway? They can't be the ones to have a say in my relationship with you. I think our relationship is going fine."

Alvin smiled at me. "I think so too. But Britt, trust me, I don't think our relationship is going too fast either."

"And who cares if we've only known each other for a month? I know what we have is real." I said.

"What we have _is _real, Brittany. I want to be with you as much as you want to be with me. And despite the fact that we've known each other for a month, that doesn't even matter, seeing as we both love each other as if we've been in a relationship for years." Alvin said.

But I was unable to smile, still completely confused over this whole thing. But I sighed and looked at him. "I know. I mean, I told my sisters that they wouldn't understand how I feel about you. And they understood that too. But they also told me that they think we're falling in love too quickly."

Alvin just looked at me.

"And Jeanette and Eleanor told me that the only thing they didn't want happening to me is to get hurt along the way." I said gently. "And when I mean hurt, I mean getting hurt emotionally."

Again, Alvin said nothing.

I instantly felt bad, but somehow, I needed to get this off my mind and my chest. I waited a few seconds to pass before I sighed deeply. "But that will never happen, right?"

Alvin looked at me, gently but seriously. But he managed to smile lightly before saying, "Never. You know that I would never hurt you in any way, Brittany. You mean so much to me, and I love you too much. And even though I'm friends with your sisters and everything, don't let them put words in your head that you KNOW aren't true."

I finally found the strength to smile again. "Yeah, I know that. And I'm sorry for saying all this crap, but I just needed to get it out."

He smiled. "It's alright."

I sighed to myself before looking up into his eyes again. "I love you." I said, almost in a whisper.

"I love you too." He said back, smiling at me, making me feel secure about myself again.

I'm glad that I got it off my chest, but the best feeling of it was that Alvin understood. I'm just so lucky that I have someone that can relate to me, and someone who can understand all my problems. That's one of the many things I absolutely love about him.

We just sat here for another minute or two in complete silence. I hated this. I mentally screwed myself for being the cause of this awkward moment. So to make up for it, I got up off the bench, went over to him and pulled him up onto his feet. Alvin looked at me and raised his eyebrows, staring at me as if I'm some crazy person.

"What?" He asked.

"Let's do something. I'm bored." I said.

He smiled and rolled his eyes. "Fine. What do you wanna do then?"

"Can we go eat somewhere? I'm starving to death." I said.

He laughed before taking me by the hand. "Good, because I am too."

We got to his car, and he drove us to a Mexican restaurant that was just a 20 minutes away by car. The food was incredible, and I made Alvin promise me that he would take me here again. It was a joke, of course, but he agreed to it. After that, we just drove around the city for a few hours. That was my favorite part of the day. Since Miss Miller, my sisters and I moved here to Hollywood just this year, it was incredible to explore the heart of Los Angeles. And to make it even better, I got to spend the experience with Alvin.

It was now almost 7PM. Alvin had to go back before Dave got mad at him for being late again, and I had to go back home before Miss Miller came home from work. Alvin drove me back home, and walked me to the front doors.

"I wish you could stay." I sighed, wrapping my arms around him.

"Me too, but I can't. Dave wants me to be home soon." Alvin said.

I reached up and kissed him lightly. "Thanks for today. I had so much fun."

He smiled. "I did too."

I let go of him and sighed. "Well, I guess you should go now."

He nodded reluctantly, then looked at me. "Britt?"

"Hmm?" I answered.

"About today, when you said you were gonna tell your mom about us...when are you gonna do it?" He asked.

I said nothing at first. I was a bit hesitant to answer because I'm not sure if I had the guts to tell Miss Miller that I went against her rules about having a relationship, and that I'm in one. Because trust me, Miss Miller will explode like a time bomb if she finds out. But like I said a hundred times, it's time for Miss Miller to realize that I can handle things on my own, and that Alvin has been one of the best things that has happened in my life. I mean, Miss Miller would rather have us injured in the hospital, rather than have a boyfriend. Okay, not literally that extreme, but it sure seems like it.

I sighed. "I...I don't know. But I _will_ tell her soon. I'm sick of my mom's rules, and I'm sick of her being extremely protective. I just want to show her that I can do things on my own."

Alvin nodded, though I could tell he was having second thoughts on my decision. He sighed. "Not that I know how your mom runs things, and God forbid that this happens, but what if she wants you to break up with me?"

I gulped. That was another reason. I've thought of that before, but I never really focused on it because the thought of it scared me. But now that Alvin said it, the feeling of it really sank in. But despite that, and despite the possibility of Miss Miller wanting me to break up with Alvin, I won't allow it.

"That won't happen. I'm going to make sure it won't happen." I said.

He sighed and nodded. He leaned in and kissed me. My eyes fluttered shut as I wrapped my arms around his neck, and as he held me closer to his body. Our kiss started off as soft, but it grew more strong and passionate as the seconds passed by. And that's when my mind blanked out. All I could focus on was Alvin. The love I have for him just seems to increase everyday.

We pulled away, and he leaned in to press his forehead onto mine. We were both breathing hard, but we silently looked into each other's eyes.

"I love you." He said.

I smiled. "I love you too." I whispered breathlessly.

Once Alvin drove away, I walked back into the house. I heard faint noises coming from the living room, and I assumed it was the TV. I walked into the living room and saw my sisters sitting there. They looked up when they saw me.

"Oh. Hey, Britt." Greeted Eleanor. "How was your date with Alvin?"

I smiled. "It was fine." I said, but on the inside, I felt...lost. As if all the happiness was melting away from me, bit by bit.

"_Titanic _is gonna be on in a few minutes. Wanna watch with us?" Jeanette said.

I nodded. "Sure. Let me just change my clothes, and I'll be back." I said.

"'Kay." Said Jeanette.

As I walked upstairs to my room, I couldn't help but think about what Alvin said. What if Miss Miller _does _want me to break up with him? Then should I still tell her? I sighed. I knew it was a bad idea telling my mom about my relationship with Alvin, but a part of me is urging myself to tell her so I could show her that I can take care of myself, and that she should stop worrying about me. Miss Miller tells me that I'm responsible, but when it comes to me being independent, she completely throws me off.

And I want it to stop.

After I changed into more comfortable clothes, I went back downstairs to watch the movie with my sisters. They didn't really seem to notice my mood, thankfully. About 1 hour after the movie ended, while Jeanette, Eleanor and I were just talking on the couch, Miss Miller came home from work. She asked us how our day went, and even though it was getting a bit late, we ate dinner, then cleaned up. As we were getting ready to go to sleep, I pulled my sisters into the living room to talk to them. After we sat down on the couches, I looked at them.

"What's wrong?" Jeanette asked.

I placed a finger over my lips to silence her. I listened hard to make sure Miss Miller wasn't listening. I heard her humming to herself, probably just wiping off the countertops in the kitchen as she did so. I looked back to my sisters and whispered, "I'm gonna tell Miss Miller about Alvin - tonight."

"WHAT? BR-" Eleanor started to exclaim, but I quickly - but gently - slapped my hand over her mouth. Eleanor pushed my hand away, glared at me, then whispered, "Brittany! Miss Miller is gonna kill you!"

I shook my head. "I don't care."

"Miss Miller is gonna freak out!" Jeanette exclaimed in a whisper. "If I were you, I wouldn't tell her because she's probably gonna put you under house arrest - literally - and never allow you to see Alvin again! If you want to prevent Miss Miller from doing this, then don't tell her."

I sighed. "Look, I know mom is gonna freak out. And she probably will never let me out of the house again. But it's worth a try. I have to talk to her and explain that this is _my _life, and that Alvin is a part of it."

"What if she doesn't allow it?" Eleanor asked.

"Then she can take my phone away, take my car away, take everything away from me. Who knows what she'll do? But she can't take Alvin away from me." I said, and I truly, truly meant it.

Jeanette sighed. "But-"

"Girls?" We heard Miss Miller's voice say. "Is everything okay?"

We all froze for a moment before Eleanor spoke up and called, "Yeah, everything's fine mom." She said nervously. "We were just getting ready for bed."

Jeanette looked at me. "Britt, are you sure you want to tell her?"

I sighed and nodded without saying a word. I wanted to get this over with so I got up up the couch, and went into the kitchen, where I found our mom sitting at the table with one of her 'Home Decorating' magazines. Miss Miller looked up when she heard me come in.

"Brittany, sweetheart. Just the girl I was looking for." She said.

"H-Hi mom." I said.

"Here, come sit with me. I need your opinion on something." She said. I sat down on the chair across from her. Miss Miller passed me the magazine she was looking at, and pointed at a picture of two vases. "I was thinking about getting one of my friends a vase for her birthday, but I don't know which one to pick. Can you help me?"

Like I said, I wanted this to happen quick, and I wanted to get this over with so I could have a chance to talk about what I wanted to talk about. I pointed to the picture of a porcelain vase on the right and said, "This one is pretty."

Miss Miller looked at it and smiled. "Okay, this one it is."

I allowed at least 5 minutes to pass before speaking up again. But my heart was racing faster and faster. I looked over at my mom, who looked calm and happy like she usually does. But I knew that when I tell her, all hell is gonna break loose. But I had to. Despite how scary and risky it was, I just had to.

"Miss Miller?" I asked softly.

She looked up from her magazine, and looked at me. "Yes?"

I gulped and looked straight at the table, avoiding eye contact with her. "There's something I want to tell you."

* * *

><p><strong>How did you think Miss Miller will react when Brittany tells her? Will Brittany even have the guts to tell her? And do you still think that Alvin and Brittany's relationship is going to fast?<strong>

**Thanks so much for reading, and please review! Love you all :)**


	6. Unfair

**"Secrets are nearly impossible to keep, especially when shared with anyone else**." **- Anonymous**

**...**

"You can tell me anything, Britt." Miss Miller said cheerfully.

I sighed deeply as I looked up at my mom. She closed her magazine and looked at me with a smile on her face. I gulped. Miss Miller looked like her usual, happy and cheerful self, but I knew that once I tell her, all hell is going to break loose. I was beginning to wonder if I made a bad decision about telling her about my relationship with Alvin, but then again, I told myself that it was for the best.

I took a deep breath and asked, "First, can I ask you a question?"

The smile on Miss Miller's face disappeared, and she looked more serious, as if she could sense something bad was about to happen. "What is it, Brittany?"

I closed my eyes for about 2 seconds before opening them again, only to find Miss Miller's eyes staring into mine. "Why...Why are you so against relationships? How come you don't want me, Jeanette or Eleanor to be in a relationship with someone? How come you're scared of the fact of us having a boyfriend?"

My mother breathed in deeply. "You already know why, Brittany."

I shook my head. "I just don't get it though. I know you're protective over us mom, but-"

"But nothing." Miss Miller snapped. "What is this about?"

I said nothing, feeling myself freeze on the inside with fright.

"Brittany Miller, answer me." Miss Miller said more sternly this time, her voice on the verge of anger. And I knew that once she uses my first AND last name, things were going to go bad.

"Mom, let me finish, please." I said, hearing my voice go smaller and smaller. I sighed and gulped. "We're 17 years old now, mom. You can't be protective of us forever. And sooner or later, you're gonna have no choice in holding us back because eventually, we're gonna start wanting to be in a relationship with someone."

"Stop this." Miss Miller fired. "Brittany, you _know _why I don't want you or your sisters to be in a relationship with someone. Boys are nothing but filthy creatures that rely on you for everything while they do nothing. Men are just things that get in the way of life!"

I was beginning to have enough. "Just because YOU think that way, doesn't mean it's true!" I exclaimed.

Miss Miller said, "The main reason is because I don't want any of you getting hurt, physically or emotionally! That's the only thing I fear. Have you seen the way boys are nowadays? They are bad influences, Brittany. The way they are portrayed on TV-"

"TV?" I asked, exasperatedly. "Miss Miller, you can't be serious! Just because you see things on TV, doesn't mean that it affects everything else in reality! In fact, most boys aren't even like that!"

Miss Miller glared at me for a few seconds without saying anything. "What are you talking about?"

"What I'm saying is, yeah I understand that you want to keep us safe, but Miss Miller, we're not 5 years old! You have to let us have some freedom!" I groaned.

Miss Miller shook her head. "I gave you enough freedom, Brittany. But if there is one rule you absolutely cannot break, it's my restriction on boys."

"Okay, just because _you're _single, mom, doesn't mean that I want to follow in your footsteps!" I snapped.

"Excuse me? You better watch what comes out of your mouth, Brittany." Miss Miller snapped. "And I've been a single mother to you, Jeanette and Eleanor for almost 18 years now, and I'm going on just fine!"

I just stared at her, not believing what I was hearing.

Miss Miller continued. "But you're only 17! That age is way too young to be in a relationship!"

"Too young?" I scoffed in disbelief. "Mom, you can't be serious!"

"Oh, I'm as serious as I'll ever be." Miss Miller said, and I knew she was downright telling the truth. "I don't want you to have a boyfriend because I know that it will just get in the way of everything else!"

"How?" I asked, starting to get annoyed.

"Well, he's going to be the only thing you will be able to focus on. It's going to affect your education, it's going to mess with your mind and your heart - everything! And once you think that he's 'the one', he's just going to break your heart anyway!" Miss Miller fired.

I said nothing. My mind flashed back to Alvin, but instantly, I knew Miss Miller was wrong. Alvin would never do that. I know him, and I know that he would never hurt me in any way. I just hate the fact that Miss Miller thinks that all boys are the same. But she doesn't know Alvin, and Alvin is the most perfect and loving guy any girl could ever ask for.

"Why are you thinking that, mom?" I groaned. "Why do you think that all boys are the same?"

"Because they are!" Miss Miller argued.

"No they're not!" I fought back. "Are you afraid of me being in a relationship because you think that I'm going to get hurt?"

"That's the only thing I fear, Brittany. I don't want him to influence you into something bad. I don't want you to be in an unhealthy relationship at all costs." Miss Miller said.

"But he's not going to influence me in any way! I know it, mom! He would never do that!" I exclaimed.

And then I stopped, suddenly realizing what just came out of my mouth. There was pure silence between us, but deep inside, I was shaking with fright.

"_He_?" Miss Miller asked. "Who is 'he', Brittany?"

I said nothing.

"Brittany Miller, don't me ask you again. Who is this boy you're talking about?" Asked my mom.

But once again, I couldn't find the strength to say anything.

I saw Miss Miller breathe in and out deeply, and I could tell that her blood was boiling under her skin. My mom looked back at me, stared at me for at least 10 seconds and said, "Do you have a boyfriend?"

I froze.

"Do _not _make me ask you again! Do you have a boyfriend?" Miss Miller asked, saying each word with emphasis.

And this time, I knew I had to answer. "Yes." I whispered.

I saw her inhale deeply. Miss Miller rubbed her forehead in frustration while she shook her head. She looked back at me and said, "How long has this been going on? How long have you kept this from me?"

I gulped. "A month." I whispered.

"A MONTH?" Miss Miller screamed. "YOU'VE KNOWN THIS BOY FOR A MONTH, AND YOU THINK YOU'RE IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM?"

"I _know _I'm in a relationship with him!" I fought back, holding back my tears.

Miss Miller shook her head. "Brittany, please tell me you're joking. You're not mature enough for this!"

"WHAT? Yes, I am!" I said. "I've handled this relationship for a month, and I know what's right for me. Mom, you can't tell me that I'm not mature enough for this because I know I am. You just haven't seen it yet because you didn't know!"

She shook her head. "Who is this boy?"

"You don't know him." I said quietly.

"Where did you meet him?" Miss Miller asked.

I gulped again. "The beach."

Miss Miller said nothing for at least half a minute before saying, "Do you have feelings for this boy?"

I looked at her in disbelief before saying, "Of course I do! That's why I'm with him!"

Miss Miller remained silent. I could tell that her anger was just flooding inside of her. I wanted to run away. I hated this. I don't know what I was thinking, wanting to tell her! I knew something like this would happen! But it just hurts me to know that Miss Miller never understands me, and it just hurts to me know that she doesn't support me in ways I want to be supported in. This just isn't fair.

I spoke up again, and I could feel my hot tears on the rims of my eyes. "Mom, please." I whispered. "I-I didn't mean to break your rules and to disobey you, but sometimes, you just can't help it - especially when it comes to things like love. I'm growing up mom, I'm not a little girl anymore."

Miss Miller shook her head. "I don't understand why you would do this to me."

"Stop acting as if I broke the law, mom!" I exclaimed in frustration as I began to cry.

"But you broke MY rules. Brittany, I am your mother! I can't believe you would do this to me!" Miss Miller said.

"Look, I'm sorry okay? I really am!" I cried. "But-"

"Stop." Miss Miller said, cutting me off. She took a deep breath and said, "Please, Brittany. Just stop."

"Mom, I-"

"What is his name?" Miss Miller asked.

I froze once again. "W-What?"

"The boy. What's his name?" Miss Miller asked again.

I could literally hear my own heartbeat pump within my ears. "Alvin..." I whispered.

Miss Miller sighed ever so deeply as she shook her head.

I knew I had to sweet talk my way out of this. I just needed to do anything that would help Miss Miller understand that not all boys are the same, and that she doesn't need to worry about anything. But with the state my mother was in right now, convincing her of anything seemed impossible. But it was worth a try.

I gulped. "Miss Miller, please. He is the most sweetest, most caring, most genuine and real person I have ever met! He's so loving, and-"

"Loving?" My mom bursted out. "Brittany, you're too young to even talk about love, let alone experience it! Honey, you don't even know what love is!"

I felt my heart drop. "Yes, I do." I said. My voice was strained as I held back more tears.

"Brittany, you _think _you know what love is, but really, you don't. People your age think that what they're feeling inside is love, but when in reality, it's just an infatuated feeling." Miss Miller said.

"Maybe it's just them, okay? But I'm not like that! Alvin isn't like that! I know what we have is real!" I cried out.

Miss Miller shook her head. "You may think that now, but later, he will just end up breaking your heart."

I felt so hurt when I heard that. Why couldn't she just understand? "No, he won't!" I said.

"And how would you know that, Brittany?" Miss Miller fired.

"Because he just won't! I know that he would never do that!" I cried.

"Look. Brittany, I understand that you have feelings for this boy, but why can't you wait for a few more years? Wait until you're out of college! But right now, it's just way too young. Trust me. I was a teenager once too." Miss Miller said.

"THEN WHY CAN'T YOU JUST UNDERSTAND?" I sobbed.

Miss Miller just sighed and shook her head.

"Okay, what is your problem, mom?" I exclaimed.

"My problem? This! This is my problem! The one thing I wanted you to avoid, and you go out and do it anyway." Miss Miller snapped. "And this boy is already a bad influence on you!"

"What?" I asked in utter disbelief.

"Look at you, Brittany. This is the first time ever that we have had a mother/daughter fight. This is the first time we even fought at all! But now since you're with this boy, you've completely changed. Your attitude has changed, and it's all because of him." Miss Miller said.

"WHAT? Miss Miller, Alvin is not a bad influence on me! In fact, he's made me into an even better person!" I said, feeling hot and salty tears roll down my cheeks.

Miss Miller scoffed and shook her head.

"And I didn't want to start a fight with you, mom. But you're the one who just can't understand me! And the only reason to why I'm acting like this is because I'm defending Alvin! You don't know him, so you can't just talk about him like that!" I sobbed.

"I can talk about whoever I want to talk about." My mother snapped.

"But you don't even know him! Stop judging people before you get to know them, mom!" I exclaimed.

Miss Miller sighed deeply. "I still can't believe you would do this to me."

"Why can't you just be happy for me? Just once in my life, why can't you just support me?" I sobbed.

"Because I don't want you to get hurt!" Miss Miller said. Her voice was beginning to raise.

"But mom, if you really got to know Alvin..." I whispered behind my tears.

My mother shook her head. "You know what? I've had enough."

"Miss Miller, please! Just take a chance to know Alvin, and you'll really see how much of a good person he is. You'll understand why I care about him, and why I'm with him. Please, just give him a chance." I sobbed.

Miss Miller stared at me while tears ran down my face. At first, there was a small chance of hope that she would accept the fact that I'm in love with someone. But once I saw her get up off of her seat, my heart automatically sank to the floor. She walked over to me and held her hand out. I just stared at her, not knowing what she wanted.

"Give me your phone." Miss Miller said.

I froze. "What?"

"Give me your phone, Brittany, or so help me, you will never see it again." Miss Miller snapped. "Hand it over."

"Miss Miller! What are-"

"Now." Miss Miller said, her voice at the highest peak of animosity.

I knew I had no choice. I didn't want to start another problem, and I wanted to resist. But again, I felt weak. I was just so hurt that Miss Miller would to this to me. She can't comprehend a single thing about me, and she thinks she can just do this? But like I said, I didn't have a choice. I reached my trembling fingers into the right pocket of my sweatpants and pulled out my phone. Miss Miller instantly took it in her hands.

"Mom, what are you doing?" I cried.

I watched as Miss Miller stashed my cell phone into her pocket before looking up at me to say, "You are never going to contact that boy ever again."

"WHAT?" I exclaimed.

Miss Miller said nothing as she walked to the kitchen counter, pulled open a drawer, and pulled out my car keys. "And you will never see that boy ever again. Am I clear?"

"MISS MILLER, PLEASE!" I screamed quietly behind my tears.

"AM I CLEAR, BRITTANY?" Miss Miller yelled.

My breathing was short. My heart was pumping way too fast. It felt like I couldn't breath. It felt like I couldn't see. I wanted to leave. I didn't want to see Miss Miller's face ever again. I hate her. I hate her so much! Why is she doing this to me? Why can't she understand?

I said nothing as I got up off my chair, and ran out the kitchen to run upstairs into my room. I slammed my bedroom door shut and fell onto my bed as I began to cry and sob. My chest began to ache furiously. I just couldn't accept this. She's forbidding me to see Alvin ever again? No. No, I won't allow it.

But then again, there's nothing I can do.

I continued to cry for God knows how long? But after a while, I heard a knock on my bedroom door. At first, I thought it was Miss Miller until I heard my sisters' voices on the other side of the door. They called my name but I refused to let them enter. But then I heard the door creak open and saw Jeanette and Eleanor walk in. They came to sit at the edge of my bed.

"Britt..." Eleanor sighed.

"I hate her so much! Why can't Miss Miller understand?" I cried.

"She does understand, but she's doing what she thinks is best for you." Jeanette said gently.

I closed my eyes as more tears spilled out. My heart began to beat more rapidly before I whispered, "No. She's not allowing me to see Alvin anymore. How is that the best for me?"

* * *

><p>1 week later...<p>

It's been a week. It's been a whole goddamn week. I haven't talked to Miss Miller, or even looked at her. I just can't look at her face without feeling anger build up inside of me. I still can't accept the fact that my own mother would do that to me. I hate her so much, that words can't even describe it.

But the thing that worries me the most is Alvin. I haven't seen him, or talked to him in a whole week. Because Miss Miller took almost everything I owned away from me just to prevent me from seeing him, I've been missing him more and more each day. I knew he was beginning to wonder why I haven't called him for the past week, but like I said, without my phone or my car, I couldn't do anything.

I was worried that he would be mad. I mean, why wouldn't he be? His girlfriend totally disappeared without seeing him or calling him within the past week. I sighed, knowing that Alvin would be so mad at me. I can't even describe how much I miss him. And after what happened last week, I told myself that nothing will ever get in the way between me and Alvin.

But how was I suppose to tell him? How am I going to tell him about everything that happened between me and Miss Miller?

It was a Friday evening. My sisters were downstairs, while Miss Miller was at work. It was a little bit past 5:30PM, and I was up in my room, just sitting on my bed reading a magazine. The day after mine and Miss Miller's fight, she came up to my bedroom and took away my laptop. So I literally have nothing to do but read. I haven't even talked to my sisters that much within the past week either because I think they knew I was upset, and they wanted to give me privacy.

But without my sisters, and without Alvin, the feeling of loneliness was really getting to me.

I sighed as I looked out my window. The sun shone down, making the sunlight spill all over my room. I groaned as I laid on my back. My mind kept flashing back to Alvin. I don't think there has been at least an hour where I haven't thought of him. I just miss him so much...

But before anything else could happen, a series of knocks came from my bedroom door. I sat up, and heard Eleanor's voice on the other side say, "Brittany? Can I come in?"

I sighed. "Sure, Elle."

The door opened, and Eleanor walked inside. She smiled weakly before saying, "Hey. How're you feeling?"

I sighed again, but managed to give a small smile. "I'm not sick or injured, Eleanor. I'm feeling alright."

Eleanor laughed lightly before sitting on the bed with me. There was silence between us before she sighed, spoke up and said, "You miss him, don't you."

I exhaled gently before looking down at the carpet. "You have no idea. I don't get why Miss Miller would do this to me. I don't get why she would ban me from seeing Alvin."

Eleanor nodded without saying a word. Another few seconds passed before Eleanor looked up at me. "Well, I know something that's going to make you feel better."

I looked at her, knowing that nothing could possibly make me feel better. "What?"

Eleanor smiled. "You have a visitor downstairs."

At first, I didn't understand her. And then, it hit me. I gasped, cupping my hands over my mouth. I was ready to burst with happiness. Eleanor laughed, as if she understood me, and nodded. I wasted absolutely no time as I got off my bed, ran out of my room, sprinted down the stairs, and stopped when I got into the living room.

There, leaning against the wall, casually talking to Jeanette, was my boyfriend.

"Alvin?" I called softly.

He stopped talking and turned around. Once our gazes met, he instantly smiled that smile that I yearned to see for so long.

I laughed as I ran over to him and jumped in his arms. He picked me up and wrapped his arms around me. I began to cry as I brought my lips to his. He set me on my feet while we continued to kiss. We pulled away a few seconds later, but we didn't let go of each other.

I didn't know how to start talking. "I-I..."

He smiled. "Britt, it's okay."

But before I could say anything, Jeanette spoke up and said, "Well, we'll give you two some privacy so..." She trailed off before she pulled Eleanor and herself out of the living room, and disappearing out of sight.

I looked back at Alvin, feeling my heart swell up on the inside. "I'm so sorry." I whispered.

He leaned in and kissed my forehead. He looked into my eyes and said, "Why are you saying sorry?"

I opened my mouth, but was unable to say anything. I couldn't even find the strength to move for a bit.

He laughed softly before saying, "Come on, let's sit down."

He pulled the two of us on the couch. I sat beside him while he wrapped an arm around me. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. I missed this. I missed the feeling of him with me. One week may not seem so long, but trust me, it is.

After a few minutes of pure silence, I looked up at him. "Alvin?"

He looked at me. "Yeah?"

"Are you mad at me?" I asked, feeling slightly scared to hear his answer.

He smirked. "No, of course not. Why would I be mad?"

I sighed as I sat up straight to look at him. "Because I haven't seen you, or even called you for a whole week!"

"Well, I'm sure you have a reason, right?" He asked.

I nodded and sighed.

"You're not mad at me or anything, are you?" He teased gently.

I smiled and laughed softly. I shook my head and said, "No."

"So what's wrong?" He asked.

I was scared to tell him, but I knew that Alvin would understand. But he's here with me, and that's all that matters. I had to tell him. But I'm just scared to see his reaction. But knowing Alvin, I know that he will understand. But just hearing myself say 'Miss Miller doesn't want us to be together' in my mind, scared me half to death.

* * *

><p><strong>Wow. So do you guys think Miss Miller went too overboard? How will Brittany explain to Alvin that Miss Miller doesn't want them together? Will they stay together? And if so, will Miss Miller ever find out? :O<strong>

**I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Thanks for reading, and PLEASE review!**

**PS: This is just the first half of the story. The second half is where the story's plot really comes in :)**


	7. Love and trust

**"I fell in love, in love with you suddenly. Now there's no place else I could be but here in your arms." -Lyrics to _Here in your arms_, by Hellogoodbye**

**...**

It took me a while to answer. I wasn't sure if I was feeling scared, nervous, or whatever. I guess I just didn't want Alvin to know. But that's literally impossible. Despite how horrible I feel about bringing my boyfriend into this situation, he's involved in this too. It's not Alvin's fault. Of course it isn't his fault. I mean, we fell in love with each other because we did. But because of that, problems upon problems were being caused.

I didn't want to take the blame. I didn't want to blame it all on myself. But on the inside, deep inside of me, I just know that it is.

Alvin sighed, noticing my reluctance to speak. "Brittany, you okay?"

I sighed to myself. Am I okay? But I just nodded and cuddled up beside him. "I'm fine, I swear." I whispered.

He wrapped an arm around me, but said, "You don't seem fine."

I looked up at him. "I am. Why wouldn't I be? I'm finally back with you after a whole week of separation."

But to my dismay, Alvin frowned. "That's what I want to know, though. Why were we separated for a whole week? I mean, I would have understood if you had a reason. You could have called me, or texted me or anything."

And again, I felt so bad about this. I really, really hated myself so much right now. I sighed deeply as I turned my gaze onto the carpeted floor. "I-I couldn't." I said softly.

"Why?" He asked.

I sighed again, biting my tongue for a few seconds, wanting to hold myself from telling him, but I knew that I just had to. "Miss Miller took my phone. And my car. And my laptop." I said.

Alvin didn't say anything for a few seconds. He looked down at me and asked, "Why?"

I sighed softly to myself as I got out of his embrace. I sat cross-legged on the couch, facing him, and said, "I don't wanna talk about this now, Alvin. Can't we just forget about everything for a sec, and just focus on each other?"

Alvin sighed as he ran a hand through his bronze hair. "Britt, I am focused on you. But that's the problem. I wanna know what's bothering you. I wanna know why we were unexpectedly apart from each other for a whole week."

"I said, I don't wanna talk about it!" I said frustratedly.

"See, this is the problem with you, Brittany. I'm trying to be the boyfriend in this relationship by asking you what's wrong, but you're completely avoiding the question. How am I suppose to know if you won't tell me?" He asked.

"I don't want to argue with you, Alvin. But all I'm asking is to forget about all the problems for just one damn moment, and just focus on being with each other." I snapped.

"How the hell am I suppose to do that, if we're sitting here, pissed off at each other?" Alvin asked, clearly becoming more annoyed.

I glared at him. "What the hell is your problem, Alvin? Why is it my fault again?"

"Did I _say _it was your fault?" He groaned.

"But you're acting like it is!" I fired.

He just rolled his eyes.

"All I want is to spend some time with you, but you're totally ruining everything!" I exclaimed.

"How am I ruining everything, Brittany? Why do you think I came over? I wanted to see how you were doing because I was worried, and because I haven't seen you in a whole week! So tell me, is that a bad thing?" He exclaimed.

"But I already told you, I don't want to talk about it!" I groaned.

"Britt, I didn't come here to argue with you. But if we're going to do nothing _but _argue, I might as well leave." Alvin said.

"Oh, yeah. You're _really_ being the boyfriend now." I fired darkly.

He looked at me. "Okay, why are you so pissed?"

"I'm not pissed off, Alvin! But why can't we just forget about everything first? Because look at what's happening! We're fighting again!" I complained.

"I don't want to fight with you, Britt. But can't you see that I'm concerned about you because I _love _you? I just wanna know what's bothering you. I hate seeing you upset." He said, his voice getting softer.

I felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach, realizing that he was right. I hated arguing with him. But I guess in every relationship, it's normal to fight. But whenever Alvin and I argued, I just felt like running away. But this was all my fault, and I was feeling even more despisement for myself for causing all this complication between us.

I sighed. "You're mad at me."

Alvin sighed deeply. He pulled me closer to him and kissed me lightly on the lips. He pulled back to look into my eyes and said, "Baby, I'm not mad at you. But I just wanna know why we haven't seen each other for a whole week."

"I already told you." I said. "Miss Miller took everything away from me."

Alvin just looked at me hard. I knew he was getting extremely frustrated with me, since I wasn't able to give him a straight answer, and I could tell that he was trying to do everything he could to contain himself. "Why though?"

I knew I couldn't avoid this anymore. I knew I had to tell him sooner or later. And right now seemed like the perfect time to tell, despite how scared I was feeling to tell him. I gulped to myself. I didn't want this. I didn't like this. But I also hated what I was doing. I wanted to tell him, but a part of me just didn't want to.

A few seconds passed, and I said nothing. I finally looked up into his eyes and found him staring at me. We looked at each other for at least 10 seconds before Alvin finally broke the silence. He sighed deeply and shifted his body so he could be facing me.

"Is it something bad?" He asked me gently.

I shook my head. I sighed before saying, "It's not necessarily a bad thing, Alvin. But..."

And once again, I trailed off. Like I said, I wasn't afraid of telling him. But there was just something inside of me that was holding me back from telling him. I just didn't want him to be upset about what Miss Miller said. I didn't want him to feel offended by my mother's words. But he and I both know that he did nothing wrong. But it was Miss Miller who was causing all the drama. I just don't get why she has to be such a freak when it comes to relationships - especially with mine. And why would she be? Alvin's my first boyfriend, after all.

Another moment of silence passed before Alvin sighed again. "Do you wanna tell me when you're ready?" He asked.

I just nodded.

He sighed gently once more. "Okay." He said, before leaning in to give my forehead a kiss.

I sighed to myself. I felt so bad. Alvin is so understanding, and it was clear that he would do almost anything for me. I hated what I was doing. Why can't I find the guts to tell him?

I looked up at him and smiled weakly. "Sorry." I whispered.

He smiled. "It's okay."

"I promise, I'll tell you later." I sighed. "But not now. I...I'm just not ready to tell you."

But then, Alvin looked at me in the eyes, looking downright serious. "Shit, Brittany. You're not pregnant, are you?"

I almost choked on the air I was breathing. I looked at him, feeling half of the blood leave my face and exclaimed, "No! God, no!"

He sighed in relief. "Thank god."

I slightly rolled my eyes. "Alvin, it has nothing to do with that. But just trust me, I'll explain everything to you later. I just wanna spend some time with you. I haven't seen you for so long." I said.

He laughed and slightly rolled his eyes. "It's only been a week."

"_Only_?" I asked.

He shrugged. "It hasn't been _that_ long. Jeez, relax."

My eyes narrowed as I glared at him. I crossed my arms over my chest and said, "Oh, so are you saying that you didn't miss me?"

He scoffed. "I never said that."

"But you were implying it." I snapped.

"I know. But I didn't say it." He said again.

I rolled my eyes, but said nothing. I forgot how much he loved to get on my nerves. Alvin laughed before leaning in to give me a soft kiss on the lips. But when he pulled back, I still had a look on my face that read 'I hate you'.

"I was just kidding, Britt." He said, moving closer to me. "You know that I missed you."

I pushed him away. "Whatever." I muttered.

He leaned in and pulled me closer to him. "Are you mad at me?" He whispered in my ear.

I smiled, but tried to push him away. But I had no luck. "Yes. Now let go." I said.

"You're beautiful when you're pissed off." He said, before giving the side of my neck a soft kiss.

I stifled a small giggle, still trying to get out of his embrace. I looked at him and said, "Yeah? Keep it up, and I'll be _gorgeous_." I said darkly.

He laughed before letting go of me. "And you're damn attractive when you're mad too."

I eyed him. "Are you trying to say that I look unattractive when I'm not mad?" I challenged.

He laughed. "You're always attractive to me, Britt." He said, before pulling me into arms again. But this time, he leaned towards my ear and whispered, "But I like it better when you're mad at me."

I giggled and rolled my eyes. "You're such a loser." I said.

"Yeah, but I'm _your _loser." He joked.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I wonder how I ended up with that situation." I muttered.

"Because you love me." He said.

I looked up at him and raised my eyebrows. "Oh, do I?" I teased sweetly.

"Of course you do. Who doesn't love me?" He asked.

"Me." I stated.

Alvin laughed dryly. "Oh really."

I nodded, failing to bite back a smile. "Yup."

"Then tell me this. Who was the one who ran into my arms, crying, telling me that she missed me?" Alvin teased, smiling at me as if he knew I had nothing else to say after that, realizing that he was right.

I rolled my eyes once again, knowing that I just couldn't fight back anymore. I laughed and said, "Okay fine. You're obnoxious and a complete idiot, you know that right?"

He smiled. "I've heard."

"But you know what?" I asked.

"What?" Alvin answered.

I looked into his eyes for a few seconds, feeling my heart melt. I smiled and said, "I still love you."

He smirked. "I had a feeling you did."

I just rolled my eyes again but reached up to kiss him once more. But this time, we didn't pull away. In fact, the kiss began to get steamier as each second passed. I missed this. I missed kissing him. I missed the feeling of having our bodies compressed against each other's. I wrapped my arms around his neck, before we both pulled away for air.

I bit my bottom lip as I looked at him eagerly, giving him a look that only him and I could understand.

He laughed. "Not now. Your sisters are in the other room."

"Let's go to my bedroom then." I whispered.

He chuckled softly. "They might hear us."

"Then we'll blast some music." I said.

Alvin looked at me teasingly. "Britt, you _know _that won't work, right? They'll get suspicious."

I pouted. "Please?"

"Desperate much?" He joked.

I lightly slapped his arm. "No." I snapped. "And even if I am, don't act as if you're not."

He scoffed again. "I'm not."

After he said that, I felt a dark smile creep onto my face. I took this as an opportunity to tease him even more. I looked into his eyes, smirked and asked, "Are you sure about that?"

He nodded. "Yup."

I laughed to myself as I raised my eyebrows. I just looked at him with a smirk across my face, waiting for him to crack underneath all this pressure, but he didn't. He just sat there, calm and collectively, ignoring me. To be honest, I was completely joking about going upstairs to continue our kissing session, but now, a part of me wants to tease him and bring him up there.

It's been a while since I had some fun.

I laughed silently before getting up off the couch. I smiled at him when he looked up at me with his eyebrows raised. I raised a finger and motioned him to follow me. He just rolled his eyes, and ignored me. I sighed, walked over to him, and pulled him up. I looked into his eyes and smiled.

"Whatever you're thinking, leave me out of it." He said.

"I'm not thinking about anything." I said sweetly.

He rolled his eyes again. "No, Britt."

"We're just going upstairs, that's all." I said.

"Remember the last time we had a room all to ourselves? Do you want that to happen again?" Alvin asked.

I pretended to think over it, then said, "Yeah."

Like I said, I had no intentions of going upstairs to make love with him (Not today, at least), but it sure was fun to mess around with Alvin's head. The only reason I wanted him to go upstairs with me is so that the two of us could have some privacy. I wanted to talk to him about everything. And with Jeanette and Eleanor right in the kitchen, I couldn't risk talking to Alvin here, without my sisters overhearing us.

He groaned. "Britt..."

I ignored him, and made my way out the living room, and up the stairs, knowing that Alvin would eventually follow me. The moment I reached my bedroom door, I heard footsteps ascend the flight of stairs leading to the second floor, and just a few moments later, Alvin reached me, looking at me with that typical annoyed face of his.

I laughed. "Baby, relax. I just need to talk to you, that's all."

"In your bedroom?" He asked.

"Well, I didn't want Jeanette or Eleanor to overhear us talking downstairs." I said.

He just looked at me for at least 5 seconds, then rolled his eyes. "Really, now?"

"Why? Did you honestly think we were coming upstairs to have some _fun_?" I asked him, giving him the look.

He laughed. "Well, wasn't that what you were implying?"

I laughed again. "I know. It was all part of the plan to get you to follow me up here."

"You're just being mean, now." He said.

I laughed, shook my head, and opened my bedroom door. Alvin walked inside, with me trailing right behind him. I locked the door behind me and sat down on my bed, while Alvin sat in the chair beside my bed. I sighed and I hugged one of my fluffy pink pillows before looking at him.

"So what's wrong?" He asked.

I froze for a short while. I was going to tell him. But was I actually ready to? I sighed and looked at him. "Alvin, before I say anything, none of this is your fault, okay?" I said.

Alvin looked at me for a moment before saying, "Wait, I thought you were gonna tell me later."

I shrugged. "I'll just tell you now, to get it over with."

Alvin looked at me again, sensing that I wasn't feeling okay. "Brittany, what's wrong?"

I gulped before allowing a few moments of silence to pass. I finally found the strength to look up into his eyes before taking a deep breath. "I told Miss Miller about...us. I told her about our relationship."

Alvin froze for about half a second. "Oh. Um, you did?"

I nodded.

"What...what did she say?" Alvin asked, after a few moments of pure silence.

And right after he asked me that, everything that happened between me and my mother flashed right back into my eyes. The embarrassment and anger struck my heart once again. Just remembering what my mom said, how she reacted, and how upset she was, made me feel hurt on the inside all over again. Knowing that she wanted me to break up with Alvin...no, I won't let her do that to me.

I sighed. "She...wasn't happy."

Alvin said nothing.

"That's why she took everything away from me. She took my laptop, my phone and my car keys to prevent me from seeing you." I whispered.

Alvin said nothing for a few seconds. "Brittany, I understand what your mom is-"

"I don't know why she's so against me having a relationship!" I said, cutting him off. "She doesn't understand that you're the one I want to be with! Just because she thinks that all boys are bad, doesn't mean that they are!"

Alvin sighed. "Brittany, she's just doing that to protect you."

I looked at him for half a second before dropping my gaze onto my bed. I was starting to feel tears on the rims of my eyes. "No, she's not. Alvin, if only you knew what happened between us, you would see how much she hates me."

"Britt, your mom doesn't hate you. But-"

"Yes, she does! Just because she's single, doesn't mean that I should be single too! She thinks she can control my every move, but she just has to learn that I'm not a little girl anymore, and that I have to move on with my own life!" I exclaimed, feeling a tear roll down each of my cheeks.

He sighed.

"She thinks that you're going to influence me into something bad. I mean, does she even know what she's talking about? I hate how she's judging you, even though she has never even met you!" I said.

"Influence you? How?" He asked.

I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know. She thinks that all boys are rebels."

Alvin sighed before getting up off the chair to sit on the bed with me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to him. He kissed the side of my head before saying, "Brittany, listen to me. I may not know your mom, but I'm sure she's just doing that because she wants to keep you safe."

I scoffed.

"Look, I get that you hate how protective she is of you, but that's what moms do." He said.

I sighed and shook my head. "She thinks that relationships are nothing but a waste of time, and that it's going to get in the way of everything else. Alvin, I've tried to tell her that you're not like that, but she won't listen. She thinks that all boys are the same - that eventually, they're just going to break a girl's heart."

Alvin sighed. "Brittany, you know I would never do that."

"I know you wouldn't. But does my mom understand? No, she doesn't! She thinks that I'm too 'young' for a relationship. What the hell, I mean, I'm 17! I think I'm old enough to handle things on my own, but she doesn't get me. She doesn't get that I'm trying to handle my own life, and that I don't want her to be up in my business all the time!" I said.

"Maybe you should talk to her, and explain." Alvin said.

I scoffed. "Yeah right. What good will that do? And besides, no matter what I'd say, she won't listen. She'll never listen. How am I suppose to prove myself if she's preventing me from having a life of my own?"

"But she's your mom, Brittany. All parents are like that. Even Dave could be like that sometimes." Said Alvin.

"Yeah, but Dave doesn't think our relationship is a curse!" I exclaimed.

Alvin just sighed.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds before opening them again, feeling the anger and frustration swim through my entire body. But in a way, being in Alvin's arms made everything seem so much better. "I know she's looking out for me. But sometimes, I wish she would just accept everything that's going on in my life. She clearly sees that I'm happy with you, Alvin, but she's trying to take everything away from me."

Alvin said nothing at first. Instead, he just lightly kissed the side of my head. He sighed before saying, "Maybe I should talk to her."

I froze before looking at him. "Are you crazy?"

He shook his head. "Maybe if your mom got a chance to know me, she would see that I would never do anything to hurt you, and that she can trust you to be in a relationship with me."

I opened my mouth to protest, but then I closed it. What was he saying? Was that a good idea? At first, it sounded like a good idea. But at the same time, I didn't want to risk the chance of having my mother yell at Alvin, the same way she did to me. But it still seemed like a somewhat smart idea to get Miss Miller to understand. But knowing my mother, it'll take more than a simple chat to get her to understand anything...

I shook my head. "No. No way."

"Why?" Asked Alvin.

"Because..." I sighed. "Because I don't want to drag you into this situation even more."

He shrugged. "I don't care. If it'll help, then I'm willing to do it."

I sighed. "No, Alvin. I don't want you to get in trouble."

He smirked. "How would I get in trouble?"

"Because when Miss Miller finds out that you came over here to see me, ESPECIALLY since she banned me from seeing you..." I sighed. "She is going to kill me..."

"I'll sweet talk my way out of getting trouble." He said, smiling.

I rolled my eyes but smiled. "That never works."

"It works on you." He teased.

I smiled innocently. "It _did_. Not anymore. I know you _way_ too well to fall for your tricks, babe."

He laughed, but sighed. He looked at me and said, "So, what do you think? Want me to talk to her and explain everything?"

I sighed. "I don't know..."

"Britt, if your mom sees how good of a boyfriend I am to you, then she'll probably let us be together. Yeah, she may not want us to be together now, but that's because she's never even seen us together. She's never seen how much I take care of you, and how much you love me." Alvin said.

"That's what I tried telling her, though." I sighed. "But she didn't listen."

"It's worth another try. If it doesn't work, then at least we tried. But at least your mom got a chance to know me before judging our relationship." He said.

I looked at him. "I don't know if she'll understand. My mom thinks that all boys are like those typical, rude and jerk-like guys you see on TV nowadays. I tried telling her that you're nowhere near that, and that you are the best thing that has happened to me, but...but she just doesn't want to accept it."

Alvin said nothing, but intertwined his fingers through mine.

"She hates how I love you, even though we've only known each other for a short while. But that's what true love is, isn't it? But just once, I wish she would be happy for me." I said, hearing my voice getting smaller and smaller.

Alvin looked at me. "How about this, I'll talk to her, introduce myself to her, explain how I feel about you and everything. I just want your mom to see how you're in a good relationship with me, and that she has nothing to worry about. We'll prove her wrong, Britt."

"What if it doesn't work?" I asked.

He smiled at me. "I'll make it work."

I sighed. "Are you sure?"

He nodded. "You trust me, don't you?"

"I do, but not when it comes to things like this. Miss Miller is going to scare you, believe me." I said.

He scoffed. "Nothing scares me." He joked.

"That's because you've never met my mom yet." I said.

"Brittany, you know your mom better than I do. But this, I can handle." He said to me.

I sighed. "Do you want me to go with you when you talk to her, just in case something goes wrong?" I asked.

"If you want." Alvin said.

I groaned.

"But trust me on this, Britt. I'll be able to talk to her, don't worry." Said Alvin. "And besides, this isn't like _Romeo and Juliet_. No one's gonna die." He teased.

"I know." I sighed. "But what I'm trying to say is, what if she still won't let us be together?"

"Like I said, I'll make it work." He said.

I bit my bottom lip, not being able to trust either Alvin, or myself at this point. But I tried to keep a positive attitude, telling myself that despite what'll happen, Alvin and I won't be separated ever again. I looked at him, and managed to smile. "Thank you, Alvin."

He leaned in and kissed my right cheek. "You know that I'd do anything for you, Britt."

I sighed before cuddling up within his arms. I sighed before saying, "I'm not scared or anything. I mean, why would I be? I can handle my mom yelling at me. But the one thing that I'm afraid of is not being with you."

Alvin looked at me before leaning in to give me another soft, but passionate kiss on my lips. He pulled back and whispered, "That won't happen. Trust me, Brittany. I won't let that happen."

* * *

><p><strong>What do you guys think will happen when Alvin talks to Miss Miller? Will she try and break Alvin and Brittany's relationship for good? Or will she understand?<strong>

**Like I said in the previous chapter, this story is just beginning. We still have a long, drama-filled road to go! :)**

**Oh, and HAPPY 63RD BIRTHDAY to the wonderful Ross Bagdasarian Jr! He's one of my biggest inspirations, and I hope, with his and Janice's undying amount of support for The Chipmunks and The Chipettes, that their creations will go down in history until the end of time! :D**

**Thanks for reading, everyone! PLEASE review!**


	8. Parents approval

**"Listen with your heart, you will understand." - Pocahontas (Disney film), 1995**

**...**

1 week later...

It was a glorious and sunny Friday evening. The sun was starting to set, there was barely a cloud in the sky, and the temperature was perfect - not too hot, and not too cold. But despite how beautiful this weather was, I spent my entire day inside the house, trying to prevent Alvin from doing what he wanted to do.

Last week, when I told Alvin about the fight I had with Miss Miller about her and her stupid rules about not being allowed to see him anymore, Alvin came up with this crazy idea about talking to my mother about it. I mean, was he crazy? Okay look, I know Alvin wants to talk to her to prove himself that he is a good enough boyfriend for me, but still...I know my mother, and it takes a lot more than that to convince her.

Alvin already knows how protective Miss Miller is of me, resulting in having that dumb rule about not allowing me to have a relationship. But I remember about two weeks ago when I finally told Miss Miller about Alvin, she was not happy at all. That's why she banned me from seeing him. But that didn't stop me and Alvin from being together.

But the thing is, ever since that fight my mother and I had a few weeks ago, she still thinks that I 'learned my lesson' and that I stopped seeing Alvin ever since. I mean, the woman took my cell phone and my car keys for Christ sake! But little does she know that I have broken her rule, once again.

God, my life sucks sometimes.

And now, Alvin wants to talk to her! Like I said, I know Alvin wants to prove himself, and to show Miss Miller that she can trust him with taking care of me, but I still don't think it's a good idea. If Miss Miller finds out that I have been sneaking around with Alvin behind her back, ESPECIALLY since she banned me from seeing him, well, let's just say that things will not go well.

I tried explaining this to Alvin, and telling him that it's not a smart idea to talk to my mom about this, but all he said was that he _wants _to talk to Miss Miller for my benefit, so I wouldn't have to worry about keeping our relationship a secret anymore. Even though Alvin had a point, and even though it was tempting to listen to him, I just wouldn't. I didn't want to risk it, and I know for a fact that Miss Miller will be extremely angry, not only at me, but as Alvin as well. And the last thing I needed was to drag my boyfriend into even deeper trouble.

But as usual, Alvin and I can never agree on anything.

"For the billionth time, Alvin. Just listen to me!" I groaned.

He rolled his eyes. "Brittany, how many times do I have to go over this with you?"

I sighed, but said nothing, beginning to feel even more impatient as the seconds went by.

"Brittany, I don't get why you want to keep this relationship a secret from your mom any longer. I mean, I'm willing to talk to her and show her that she doesn't need to worry about you anymore, and that she can trust me!" Alvin said.

"But I already told you that she won't listen! And besides, if my mom finds out that I've been seeing you behind her back, she's gonna kill me." I said.

"Let me talk to her. It's worth a try, remember?" He said.

I groaned. "Do you _want_ my mom to ban me from seeing you for good? Do you _want _her to get mad at you too?" I asked.

"If it helps her to understand our relationship together, then yes." He said.

I looked at him in disbelief. "You're unbelievable."

Alvin sighed deeply. "Why can't you just give this a try?"

"Because this isn't an '_Oh, it didn't work, let's try again later_' kind of situation! Alvin, the moment my mom finds out about our relationship, it's either a _yes _or a _no_. And believe me, there's a huge possibility of her saying no! It happened once. Who said it won't happen again?" I asked.

Alvin just rolled his eyes.

I sighed, feeling extremely irritated, before I sat down on the couch. I crossed one leg over the over while I crossed my arms over my chest. I looked up at Alvin, who stood there, leaning against the wall. We glared at each other for a long time before he finally gave up.

"You're being so stubborn." He muttered.

And that's when I lost it.

"Oh, so _I'm_ the one being stubborn? If I'm stubborn, then what the hell are you?" I exclaimed.

He sighed. "Okay, look-"

I scoffed. "Stubborn, huh? Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you when my mother chases you down the street with a fucking baseball bat in her hands." I shot back.

Alvin sighed exasperatedly.

"You're being such an asshole right now." I muttered under my breath.

Alvin groaned in annoyance before leaning off the wall, to sit down on the couch beside me. I shifted away from him, wanting to avoid him right now. Alvin sighed again, creating silence between the two of us once more. I hated when Alvin and I fight, even if it's over the most useless things. But most of our fights are based around our relationship, which frustrates me even more.

"Do you trust me?" Alvin asked, after a long moment of silence.

I turned to him. "What?"

"I said, do you trust me?" He repeated, more gentler this time.

I sighed. "Yeah."

Alvin shifted towards me and looked into my eyes for a short moment before saying, "Then trust me on this, alright? Like I said, Britt, I won't let anything affect our relationship. As corny as it may sound, I won't let anything or anyone come between us."

I sighed before looking down at the carpeted area of the living room. But then I finally nodded before looking back up to meet Alvin's gaze once again. "Okay. I trust you." I whispered.

Alvin smiled softly before leaning in to kiss my cheek. He pulled back to stare into my eyes again, and smirked. "But you know, you really _are _stubborn."

I playfully hit him. "Way to ruin the mood, Alvin."

He laughed before giving me another light kiss, on the lips this time, but it was even longer. My eyes fluttered close before I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling his body closer to mine. The kiss began to get more lustful until we heard a click from the front door. We pulled away from each other at once, before everything became dead silent.

I felt my heart freeze. What if it's Miss Miller? No, it can't be. She doesn't get off work until 9PM, and it's not even 9! God, I am NOT ready for this.

But the second I heard faint voices talking in the background, I sighed in relief. A few seconds later, Jeanette and Eleanor walked into the living room. I looked at them weirdly, seeing how both of them looked extremely worn out. I mentally cursed them. Why is it that whenever Alvin and I try to have some intimacy with each other, my sisters are always coming in?

"Oh, hey guys, what's up?" Eleanor asked, after seeing me and Alvin on the couch.

"Nothing." I said.

She smirked. "Was I interrupting something?" She teased, noticing how close Alvin and I were sitting beside each other.

Alvin spoke up. "Well, actually..."

I lightly hit him with one of the couch cushions before looking up at my sisters, who were trying their best to hide their giggles. "No. We were just talking." I said.

"Right." Jeanette said.

I rolled my eyes before changing the subject. "So, what's up with you two? You guys look exhausted. Didn't you two go to the mall?" I asked.

Jeanette nodded. "We did. But after the mall, Elle and I decided to take a short jog around the block."

Eleanor scoffed as she took off her running shoes. "You call that short? That was like a freakin' marathon, Jeanette!"

Jeanette rolled her eyes before looking at me and Alvin. "So, what have you two been up to the whole day?"

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Fighting, as usual."

"You know, fighting is really unhealthy for a relationship. Especially for you guys! You guys fight almost every single day!" Said Eleanor.

Jeanette laughed. "Yeah, over the most stupid things too."

I sighed. "Yeah, I know." I said, glaring at Alvin.

Jeanette laughed again. "Well anyway, I'll be right back. Gonna go take a shower." She said, before heading upstairs.

Eleanor sighed. "Yeah, me too." She said, before heading up the stairs and into the second bathroom.

Alvin and I were left alone once again. I looked at him and sighed. "So, I guess you'll be staying a bit longer tonight?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I guess we'll just have to wait until your mom comes home."

I nodded, though still reluctant towards this whole thing. But I decided not to say anything this time. No matter how many times we've talked about this, it always ended up the same. So what was the use in arguing again? But whatever. I can't do anything about it now. I didn't want to start another fight with Alvin anyway.

Alvin and I began to watch a random episode of Jersey Shore before my sisters came back down. Jeanette looked at the time, then looked back at us. "It's almost 9PM. Miss Miller will be back soon."

I looked at her. "I know."

Jeanette looked confused. "Then...shouldn't Alvin leave now?"

"Really, Jeanette? Do you hate me that much?" Alvin asked dramatically, obviously joking, of course.

Jeanette rolled her eyes, but smiled. "What I mean is, well, shouldn't you be heading home right now, before Miss Miller finds out you're here?" She asked him.

I decided to answer the question instead. "Not tonight."

Jeanette and Eleanor just looked at me.

I sighed. "I'm gonna introduce Miss Miller to Alvin." I said hesitantly.

Eleanor looked at me, wide eyed. "What?"

I nodded. "Alvin's right. I'm tired of keeping our relationship a secret. I want Miss Miller to meet him, so she could see how much of a good person he is. I'm sick of her being all over protective. I just want her to know that I'm able to take care of myself, and that I'm happy in this relationship I have with Alvin."

Eleanor and Jeanette looked at the both of us for a few seconds before Eleanor sighed. "Well, I guess. It's your choice anyway..." She said, before looking at Alvin. "But Alvin, if you really want Miss Miller's approval, you have to be real, genuine, and you have to show her how much you really love Brittany."

Alvin nodded before sighing deeply to himself. "I know."

1 hour later...

The four of us passed the time by just watching some TV until Jeanette and Eleanor decided to go upstairs to give Alvin and I some privacy before Miss Miller came home. I sighed as I cuddled up beside him. I closed my eyes, not being able to stop thinking about what might happen tonight.

Will Miss Miller be upset? Probably. Will she be pissed off? Likely. Will she ban me from seeing Alvin for good? Seems like it.

But will Miss Miller finally accept the fact that I'm in a relationship, and that I am in love with the person I'm with? I don't know...

Honestly, I don't know why I'm feeling nervous. It's not like this was a Math or Science exam. But I guess I was feeling nervous about what Miss Miller will do or say. All I want is for everything to be done with. But I have a feeling that tonight will be a very long night.

I looked at the clock on the wall. It was now past 9PM, and I knew Miss Miller would be coming home from work any moment now. After what seemed like a minute, I was right. I turned to the window and saw Miss Miler's car drive into the driveway.

I stood up off the couch. I looked down at Alvin, who was still seated on the couch, but he didn't seem nervous at all. How is he so calm about this, while I'm over here, freaking out? I leaned down, and gave Alvin a soft and sweet kiss on the lips before saying, "Stay here. Let me go talk to her first."

He nodded, before I hesitantly walked out of the living room, and into the kitchen. Miss Miller was by the counters, looking through the pile of mail she just received. I sighed silently to myself, and gulped before taking a few more quiet steps into the kitchen.

"H-Hey, mom." I said quietly.

Miss Miller turned around and smiled gently at me before turning back around to continue sorting out her mail. "Hello, sweetheart. How are you?" She asked gently.

I didn't respond at first. This was the first time talking to my mom ever since we had that fight two weeks ago. It feels kinda weird talking to her again, but I knew I had to go though with this. But everything seemed like it was going fine, so far. I sighed, knowing that all hell would probably break loose sooner or later.

"Um, good. How was work?" I asked.

"It was good. It was a slow day, which was easy for the most part." She answered. She finished up with her mail because she stacked them up on the shelves. She turned back to me and smiled. "Where are your sisters?"

"Upstairs." I answered.

"Already? Wow, it's a Friday night, and your sisters are already in bed at 9PM. They must be tired." Said Miss Miller.

I forced a laugh. "Yeah. Eleanor and Jeanette went for a jog today."

"Oh, that's nice. How about you? How was your day?" Asked Miss Miller.

I shrugged. "I just stayed home all day."

Miss Miller laughed softly. "Well, you better go out and enjoy the outdoors soon. Summer won't last forever."

But I just nodded, not even being able to smile. I sighed deeply to myself before biting my lip. Miss Miller was focused on one of the envelopes she held in her hands. I watched her as she sighed to herself, shaking her head as she muttered the word 'taxes' under her breath. I could see how Miss Miller was stressed. I mean, she works all day, comes home, and has to deal with all the taxes being thrown at her, not to mention, three teenage daughters she has to take care of.

"Mom." I said abruptly.

Miss Miller looked at me. "Yes?"

I hesitated for at least 10 seconds before finally saying, "Look, I'm sorry about what happened two weeks ago."

Miss Miller sighed and nodded, looking at me with a careful and steady gaze. "It's okay, Brittany."

I looked away. "But...But I still think that you're not being fair to me, Miss Miller. When you say that Summer won't last forever, well, don't you think that it applies to everything too? I won't be a teenager forever, mom. I want to learn how to become someone who can handle things on my own. And...and having a relationship is the beginning to that."

I gulped, expecting Miss Miller to erupt into yells again. I hated how she was so against me being with Alvin. I mean, she doesn't even know him. I get that Miss Miller wants to protect me, but like I mentioned a trillion times before, she can't protect me forever.

About a minute passed before Miss Miller sighed. I looked up and found her staring at me. "Look, Brittany. I understand what you're trying to say. But as your mother, you have to understand that all I want to do is to keep you safe."

"But mom, if the only thing you're concerned about is my safety, then you'll have nothing to worry about." I said.

Miss Miller said nothing for a while. "I know I've been hard on you about you and your boyfriend. But I just don't want you to go through what I went through when I was growing up."

I froze for one second, looking at my mother in confusion. "What happened?"

Miss Miller sighed. "Oh, the typical situation. I met a guy in high school, we fell in love, went through the rest of high school together, thought we were gonna last forever..." She sighed and paused.

"Mom?" I asked, noticing that she stopped.

Miss Miller sighed once more. "I really thought he was the one, until I found out what he was really like. He was a jerk. He was nothing but a man who can easily manipulate a girl into thinking he loves her, when in reality, he doesn't give a damn."

I stood there, in shock. I have NEVER heard this side of Miss Miller. I had no idea that she went through this. When I thought she was trying to ruin my life, she has been protecting me for all the right reasons all along.

"But I'm glad that he's out of my life. Ever since we broke up, - which, let me remind you was at least 20 years ago - I turned into a better person." Miss Miller said.

I smiled. "Well, I'm glad that you did, mom."

Miss Miller smiled back. But then she sighed. "But you can understand why I get worried when you start having relationships, right? I never ever want you, or your sisters, to experience what I've experienced in the past."

I nodded faintly, understanding her completely. If Miss Miller hadn't of told me that quick story of her past, then I would have never understood. But even though that I do understand how, I still have to disagree. Just because my mom fell in love with a guy that broke her heart when she was in high school, doesn't mean that it'll happen to me.

"But...Alvin isn't like that." I said gently.

Miss Miller stared at me softly for a long time without saying anything.

I sighed. "I know he isn't like that. He will never be like that. I know you don't want me to go through what you went through in the past, but mom, I _know _that Alvin will never, ever be like that." I said gently before looking right at her. "If you'll get to know him, then you'll understand."

Miss Miller sighed. "I...I don't know, Brittany."

"Mom, I promise, if you get a chance to meet Alvin, then you'll see why I love him. He's the most caring and most genuine guy I know." I said, almost in a whisper.

I watched as Miss Miller said nothing, probably thinking about whether or not she should meet him. I sighed, because even if she says no, I would still let Miss Miller meet Alvin. But to be honest, this is going better than I thought. I thought that Miss Miller would be angry at me if I suggested this, but she actually seemed to be okay.

"Please Miss Miller." I said, after a moment of silence.

"Brittany, I don't know about this." Miss Miller said.

"I swear, just give him a chance. If you don't think that Alvin is good for me then..." I sighed deeply. "...then I'll break up with him."

Though it killed me to say this, I just had to, to prove to my mother that I'm 100% serious about mine and Alvin's relationship. And besides, I'm sure Miss Miller will like Alvin, so I had nothing to worry about.

Miss Miller sighed deeply to herself before looking at me. She looked into my eyes for at least 5 seconds before saying, "Oh, alright."

I froze, wondering to myself if I just heard right. "Wait, what?"

"If you want me to meet him, then I will. I believe you when you say that he loves you and that he cares for you, but I'll meet him just to make sure." Then Miss Miller smiled. "Parent approval always comes first."

I smiled vaguely. I bit my bottom lip nervously, remembering that Alvin is still in the living room, waiting for me to get him. I sighed before looking back at my mom, feeling my heart race a little bit faster this time.

"Do you wanna meet him now?" I asked quietly.

Miss Miller raised her eyebrows. "What?"

I laughed nervously and said, "Well, he's...he's here, actually."

"He is?" Miss Miller asked.

I nodded.

"And why is he here?" Miss Miller asked.

I sighed. "Okay, I'm sorry for bringing him here, especially since you said that I wasn't allowed to, but...but I missed him, mom. And I really want you to meet him so you could see how much of a caring boyfriend he is to me."

Miss Miller pondered at first, and I was beginning to feel nervous again. I'm pretty sure it came to a shock that Alvin was already here, but then Miss Miller looked back at me and sighed. She smiled gently and said, "Sure, bring him here."

I nodded, trying to bite back a smile before I walked back into the living room to where Alvin was. I pulled him by the hand, before we both walked backed into the kitchen. I watched as my mom looked at us carefully before I slowly let go of Alvin's hand. I sighed before looking at my mom, then to my boyfriend.

"Alvin, this is my mom, Miss Miller." I said, before looking towards my mother. "And Miss Miller, this is Alvin."

Miss Miller smiled before putting her hand out. "It's nice to meet you, Alvin."

I smiled when I saw Alvin shake hands back. "It's nice to meet you too." He said.

The three of us just awkwardly stood there for at least 10 seconds before Miss Miller looked at me. She smiled and said, "Well, Britt, I guess I need to steal your boyfriend from you for a moment."

Inside, I was shocked that Miss Miller called Alvin 'my boyfriend'. I was starting to think that she is slowly learning to accept the fact that I'm in a relationship with Alvin. But I smiled and laughed. "Okay. But don't be too hard on him."

"Oh, I won't. Alvin and I just need to talk." Miss Miller answered.

I smiled and nodded before looking at Alvin. I smiled tauntingly and said, "Are you nervous?"

He scoffed. "Nervous? Yeah, right. _You're _the one who should be nervous! Your mom and I are gonna talk about _you_."

I smiled and rolled my eyes. "Whatever."

Miss Miller laughed. "Don't worry, Britt. I know you and Alvin are dating, but I just need to go over some specific rules for your relationship. But I trust you two. Like I said, parents approval always matters first."

I nodded, before Alvin leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek, and before he and Miss Miller walked into the living room. I sighed as I sat down at the kitchen table. For once, I was feeling good about this. Miss Miller seemed like she trusted me and Alvin, and it seemed that she has accepted the fact that I'm with him.

For the next 30 minutes, all I did was sit at the table while trying to listen in to their conversation, but I heard nothing. But nothing worried me. Like I said, I know Alvin will get along with Miss Miller, and I know that once Miss Miller sees how caring Alvin is towards me, that she'll be more than happy to accept him as my boyfriend.

I looked at the clock. It was almost 10PM. I didn't know Alvin and Miss Miller were finished talking until they both came back into the kitchen, where I was. Alvin walked over to me and wrapped an arm around my waist. I looked up at him, about to ask him how their talk went, until Miss Miller spoke up first.

"Brittany?" She asked.

"Yeah?" I answered.

She smiled. "He's a keeper."

* * *

><p><strong>Now that all that parent trouble is out of the way, what do you guys think will happen next? Do you guys think that Miss Miller will eventually be right? Do you think Miss Miller's past will happen again, to Brittany this time? <strong>

**HINT: Read the story's plot... ;)**

**Thanks so much for reading! PLEASE review!**

**Thanks everyone! :D**


	9. Lonely and lost without him

**Hey everyone! Well, this is the last chapter _before_ we move into the more 'emotional' and 'dramatic' part of the story. The story is only beginning... :)**

**Oh, and guess what? I'm FINALLY 16 years old! Haha, I know it's no big deal, but seriously. I'm old... xD**

**But in the mean time, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

><p><strong>"Ever has it been that love knows not it's own depth until the hour of separation." - Khalil Gibran<strong>

**...**

1 month later...

I couldn't believe Summer was ending. I couldn't believe that in a few weeks, I'll be attending my new school for the first time, and that exams and homework will be the only thing I'll be able to focus on. It's hard to believe what happened in just 3 months. I couldn't believe that my life has changed so much in that short time.

It was just 3 months ago when I met the boy I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. It was just 3 months ago when I fell in love for the first time. It was just 3 months ago when I realized that I didn't want to be anywhere without him - without Alvin. After meeting Alvin, I soon realized the true meaning of love. I now know what love really feels like.

Meeting Alvin wasn't just luck, it was fate. If it weren't for the fact that I snuck out to go to the beach that day, I would have never of met him. I guess Alvin and I were at the right place at the right time. Sometimes, coincidences can be a good thing. But for me and Alvin, it was probably the best thing that has ever happened to us. But like I said, it all happened in just 3 months, but it seemed like years.

It was a Summer romance.

But just because Summer is over, and that Alvin and I will be going to different schools, doesn't mean that we'll be apart. In fact, it'll just bring us closer to each other. Yeah, we may not see each other everyday like we have, but because of the love and feelings Alvin and I have for one another, it'll feel as if we aren't apart. That's what makes a true relationship, in my opinion.

But like I said, once the Summer is over, Alvin will be returning to school, while I'll be going to my own. As you know, Miss Miller, Jeanette, Eleanor and I moved here to Los Angeles just this Summer. The week after we moved here, Miss Miller tried enrolling us at the best high school she could possibly find. She didn't get a response from any of the schools yet, but either way, Alvin and I won't be going to the same school at the beginning of September.

It does hurt me to know that Alvin and I won't be able to see each other as much anymore, due to the fact that we'll be attending different schools, but he assured me that nothing will ever change between us.

Today, it was the final week of August. The Summer vibe was dying down, and the excitement and dread of school filled the atmosphere of everywhere I went. Jeanette, of course, couldn't wait for school to start. She said she was excited to be going to a new school, hoping that it will be a better one than the school we went to before we moved this Summer. Eleanor was feeling slightly excited, but was dreading the beginning to school at the same time. Me? Well, let's just say that I found nothing exciting about it.

It was a slightly cold Monday evening. In 7 days, school will be starting, and Alvin and I wanted to spend as much time together as we could before school began. We both knew that once school starts, we'll be so caught up in homework, studying, and exams, that we'll barely be able to be with each other again.

But today was the last day Alvin and I would be spending with each other until school started. Why? Dave was bringing Alvin, Simon and Theodore down to Arizona for a few days to visit some of Dave's relatives. Alvin didn't want to go, trying his best to explain to Dave that he wanted to spend as much time as he could with me before school started, but I told Alvin to go anyway. Even though I didn't want him to, especially since I won't get to see him for an entire week, I told him that his family matters too. And by the time they come back, school would have already started.

Today, Alvin and I were upstairs in my bedroom just casually hanging out. _No_, it's not like we were about to do anything, if that's what you're thinking. I was at my computer desk, just randomly browsing on my laptop, while Alvin was sitting on my bed, being bored as ever. I looked over my shoulder and laughed when I found him awkwardly looking through some of my fashion magazines.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Reading." He answered.

I laughed again. "Reading my fashion magazines?"

He looked up at me and said, "Well, there's nothing better to do!"

I just rolled my eyes before turning back to my laptop before I heard Alvin scoff. I turned to look at him again.

"_10 tips on how to get the perfect nails._" Alvin said, reading one of the heading on the top of the page. "Wow. Girls take everything so seriously."

I glared at him. "Excuse me?"

Alvin looked at me. "I mean, come on! Why do they dedicate an entire page to fingernails? It's not like people will care."

"Well, you're not a girl, so you won't understand." I said as I went over to him to snatch my magazine away. "And would you quit being so sexist?"

He raised his eyebrows at me. "I'm not."

I rolled my eyes but smiled as I placed the magazine back on top of my desk, and as I shut my laptop off before standing at the edge of the bed to look at him. I smiled teasingly as I moved in closer towards him. "Yeah you are."

Alvin rolled his eyes before pulling me onto the bed with him, which caused me to shriek. He laughed gently before laying me down beside him so we were both lying on the bed together. I sighed as I cuddled up to his body, thinking about how far we've gone in the few months of knowing each other.

People might think that 3 months is way too fast to be calling this a 'relationship', especially since we only met each other over the Summer. But there was just something about mine and Alvin's relationship that made it seem as if we've been dating each other for years. But though it was just a Summer romance, I know that our relationship will go beyond that.

Being in Alvin's arms made me realize how much time we have left with each other. Like I mentioned, we have a week left of Summer before we'll be separating to go to different schools. There isn't much time left, but there isn't much we could do. The only thing we can do is to spend as much time we could with each other before school will start.

"Alvin?" I asked suddenly.

He looked at me. "Yeah?"

I looked up to meet his gaze. "What'll happen when we're away from each other?"

He stared at me for at least 3 seconds. "What?"

I sighed, pushing myself away from him just a bit before breaking my gaze from him. "School is starting next week. You'll be going to your school, while I'll be going to mine. I mean, I don't even know what school I'm attending! Miss Miller didn't get any responses back from any of the schools she tried enrolling me in, but that's not the point." I sighed deeply before looking back into his eyes. "What I'm trying to say is, well, we'll barely see each other anymore, and we'll barely have time to spend with each other."

Alvin sighed. "Brittany, you _do_ know that none of that matters because despite the fact that we'll be going to different schools, we'll still be with each other. It's not like we're breaking up or something."

"I know." I said. "But it's gonna be so hard to be away from you all the time. Plus, I'm new here. I don't know anyone at all. I won't have you by my side or anything."

"But I'm sure you'll get to know everyone easily. Weren't you the most popular girl at your old school?" He asked.

I glared at him. "How did you..."

He laughed. "Jeanette and Eleanor told me."

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, I was the most popular girl at my old school, but it isn't what you think. I wasn't that typical 'bitch' you see in movies. But I guess I was popular because I was the head cheerleader at my old school, and that I had a bunch of friends. But despite my popularity, I never had a relationship with a guy besides Alvin.

I looked back at him. "But still. My old school was small. There were probably only 300 people that went there, in total. I can't even imagine how many people attend the high schools here." I groaned.

Alvin laughed softly. "Don't worry, it's not that bad."

I sighed. "I know. But that's not the thing that's bothering me though. I'm gonna miss you so much."

"I'm gonna miss you too, but we'll be able to see each other again. I haven't seen any of my friends all Summer, but that doesn't even matter to me. I might be hanging out with all my friends again, but that doesn't mean that I'll forget about you. What matters is you, Brittany. You're the only thing that matters to me." Alvin said, looking at me.

I looked away, beginning to feel tears rise up on the rims of my eyes. "But what if we somehow _do_ drift apart?" I whispered. "You'll be too busy hanging out with all of your friends, and everyone that you know at your school, while I'll be doing the same at my school. What if that breaks us apart?"

"Brittany, look at me." He whispered gently.

I looked back at him, feeling my heart clench as I did.

He leaned in and softly kissed my forehead before looking into my eyes. "That'll never happen. I've said this before, Britt, but just because we attend different schools, doesn't mean that we have to break up. No other girl at my school matters to me. _You're _the only girl that does."

I sighed. "I just don't want to be away from you."

Alvin wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him. He used his finger to tilt my chin up and said, "Look, I don't want to be away from you either, Brittany, but just remember that even though we'll be going to different schools, nothing will ever change the way I feel about you."

"Promise?" I whispered.

He nodded. "I swear."

I cuddled up to him and sighed. "Thank you, Alvin."

He kissed the top of my head and gently said, "And besides, we could always see each other after school right?"

"I guess." I sighed.

"So don't feel bad, alright? And like you and I both said before, this is just the beginning of our relationship." Alvin said.

I looked at him and smiled. "You're right." I whispered.

He leaned in and quickly gave me a sweet kiss on the lips before getting off the bed and onto his feet. He held his hand out, bringing me up on my feet too. He looked at me and smiled. "Well, it's almost 7. Dave wants me to be home by then."

I nodded and said, "I'll walk you downstairs."

We both walked out the bedroom door, and down the stairs hand in hand. I sighed to myself. Alvin was leaving to go to Arizona for a week, and I won't be able to see him until school starts. But even _that_ won't make anything better because by the time he comes back, I'll be at my new school, while he'll be at his. It sucks to know that the next time I'll see him will be during school, but like I said, since we'll be going to different schools, _that _has it's disadvantages too.

We arrived at the front door. After Alvin got his shoes and jacket on, he looked at me and said, "Don't worry about a thing, okay?"

I looked at him and nodded. "I know."

He smiled faintly, still sensing that I was upset. I mean, I know I have nothing to worry about. It's not as if our relationship was on the line here or anything. But the thing that hurts me the most is knowing that we're going to be separated for who knows how long? Ever since Miss Miller, my sisters and I moved here to LA this Summer, Alvin is the one and only person who I can trust with all my heart. It's going to be so hard to get use to the fact of him not being beside me at all times now.

"Have a safe trip tomorrow, alright?" I whispered.

He nodded and leaned in to give me and quick kiss before saying, "See you next week, hopefully?"

I sighed and nodded.

"I love you." He said gently.

"I love you too." I whispered back.

He gave me one more long and passionate kiss before finally heading out the door, and into his car to drive home. After seeing his car drive out of sight, I closed the door and headed straight for the kitchen where I found Miss Miller and my sisters setting up for dinner.

Miss Miller looked at me when I walked in. "Oh. Did Alvin leave already?"

"Yeah." I answered plainly as I went over to the cupboard to pull out some plates.

"You should've invited him to stay for dinner." Said Miss Miller.

"He had to go somewhere." I answered, my voice getting smaller each time.

Miller Miller turned her entire body so she was facing me. "So, what were you two doing upstairs?" She asked.

I tried my best to ignore the giggles that escaped from Jeanette and Eleanor's mouths after Miss Miller said that. I looked at my mom and said, "We were just talking."

"Are you sure about that?" Miss Miller asked.

I sighed. "I swear, mom."

"Okay...but just remember Brittany, just because I don't mind letting Alvin come over all the time, does NOT mean that I'm okay with you two doing all kinds of 'funny business' behind closed doors." Miss Miller said to me.

I sighed exasperatedly. "There's none of that going on, Miss Miller."

"Okay." Miss Miller said. "But I'm warning you."

I cracked a smile. "I promise. You don't need to worry about a thing."

But of course, I wasn't all that innocent. But Miss Miller doesn't need to know that...

About 10 minutes later, we all filled up our plates with mash potatoes and corn before settling down at the table. I stayed quiet as Miss Miller, Jeanette and Eleanor were deep within their own conversation about something they saw on TV. I was about to join in before I felt my cell phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out, realizing that it was from Alvin. I mentally read the text that was on the screen.

_Miss you already._

I sighed and smiled to myself suddenly feeling all the sadness melt away, knowing that no matter what happens, no matter where we are, no matter how far apart we are from each other, Alvin will always love me as much as I love him. I bit back a smile as I quickly replied back.

_Miss you more._

"Brittany?" Called Miss Miller.

I looked up. "Yeah?"

"You haven't touched your food. Are you feeling okay?" Miss Miller asked.

I gulped quickly. "Yeah, don't worry. I'm feeling great." I said.

"Are you sure, honey?" Asked my mother.

I nodded.

Miss Miller frowned, still sensing that something was probably wrong. This was one of the few things my mother was good at. She always knew whenever Jeanette, Eleanor or myself was feeling upset.

"Did you and Alvin have a fight?" She asked.

I found myself freeze for at least half a second before shaking my head. "No, no we didn't."

Miss Miller sighed and nodded. "Okay, whatever you say, Britt. But if you want someone to talk to, you have your sisters and myself."

I smiled weakly. "I know." I sighed. "It's just...well, school is starting next week. I'm feeling kinda nervous."

Miss Miller smiled. "Nervous? Why?"

Eleanor spoke up and said, "Well, it's our first time in a new school, in a whole new city. We won't know where anything is and we don't know who anybody is. Who can blame us, mom?"

"Oh, I'm sure you girls will do good. And besides, going to a new school is a great thing. This is why we moved here to Los Angeles this Summer - for you girls to have a new experience of things. You'll meet a lot of new people, make a lot of new friends, everything." Miss Miller said.

"Ugh." I groaned. "You're acting as if it's our first day of Kindergarten, mom."

Miss Miller sighed. "But it's just the same thing, Brittany. A new school, with new people. So I don't see why you girls should be nervous."

"Yeah, but the thing is, we don't even know what school we're going to!" Exclaimed Jeanette. "Did you get any responses back, mom?"

And that's when Miss Miller gasped, acting as if a light bulb just lit on top of her head. "Oh my goodness!" She exclaimed before getting up. "Wait right here."

Miss Miller left the table for a few moments before returning back with an envelope in her hands. Jeanette, Eleanor and I just looked at each other weirdly before looking back at our mom, who pulled a long white letter out of the big brown envelope. She pushed her plate aside and placed the letter right in front of her.

"I received this letter just this morning. I was about to tell you girls, but I completely forgot." Miss Miller said.

I tilted my head to see the letter. I squinted my eyes, just to make sure I was reading correctly. And just when I suddenly realized what it was, my mouth slightly dropped open. Jeanette got out of her seat, read the letter to herself and gasped.

"You got a response back?" Jeanette exclaimed.

"Yes, I got it today. Although, I don't know why it took them almost 3 months to write back, but that doesn't matter now. I'm so glad you girls got in!" Miss Miller exclaimed.

"Can I see it?" I asked.

Miss Miller nodded before handing the letter to me. I took it in my hands and read it.

_Dear Beactrice Miller,_

_First of all, we would like to tell you that we received your letter regarding your request of having your 3 daughters join our student body. We are pleased to tell you that we have accepted them into the school. We are glad to inform you that this school will guarantee the success of each and every student here, and we ensure you the best school years your child can have. We offer great experiences that your child will need to go far in their future. The staff and students here are exceptionally welcoming, and we are pleased that you have chosen our student body for your child/children. _

_We hope you had a wonderful Summer Vacation and we are__ glad to welcome Miss Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor Miller into our school._

_Sincerely,_

_Ms. Susan Banks._

_Principal of Melrose North High School_

I looked up at Miss Miller. "Melrose North High School? That's the school we're going to?"

"Apparently so." Miss Miller answered.

"Gosh, I can't wait!" Jeanette exclaimed.

Eleanor looked at her and rolled her eyes. "Of course you are." She said plainly.

Jeanette slightly rolled her eyes. "Come on, Elle. Just think about it! A new school, new people, new friends, everything! What could be better than that?"

"I can think of a few things." Eleanor muttered under her breath.

I sighed as I looked at the letter again. Usually, I would have been excited, but since I was going to be away from Alvin anyway, I really couldn't find anything to be happy about. But a second later, my phone vibrated in my pocket again. I looked back at my phone's screen and saw that I received another text from Alvin. And just like last time, reading the texts he sent me could always lighten up my mood, no matter what.

_I love you Brittany._

I smiled to myself as I replied once more.

_Love you more._

* * *

><p>1 week later...<p>

Today was the first day of school. Much to my absolute horror, Summer vacation had ended the moment I woke up today, and let me tell you, waking up at 6:30AM again was such a pain in the ass. I decided to dress in something cute today, to make a first good impression on everyone there. But wearing cute clothes didn't make me feel better. I hadn't seen Alvin, nor talked to him ever since last week. I knew he was probably back from Arizona, and I wanted to call him this morning, but I figured that he was getting ready for school, so I didn't bother.

Besides, I can talk to him after school, right?

Miss Miller drove Eleanor, Jeanette and I there, where we met Ms. Banks, the principal of our school. She welcomed us and gave us a super quick 10 minute tour of the school. Since it was around 7AM when we got there, there were barely any students there. But in my opinion, 10 minutes to give us a quick overview of the entire school was not enough. To be honest, if the tour lasted an hour, I still wouldn't have found my way around. This school was huge, like, beyond the size of what a regular high school should be. It was probably 5 times bigger than my old one. But I guess high schools in California were like that.

I knew I was already screwed for today.

Miss Miller left an hour later to go to work, but the principal stayed with us until the bell rang, and when it did, hundreds and hundreds of students began to make their way to their homerooms. I felt completely lost until Ms. Banks helped Jeanette, Eleanor and I find our own homerooms. Jeanette and Eleanor were in the homeroom with the people who's last names started with the letters 'K-M', while they put me in the homeroom with people who's last names started with 'M-P'. I mean, would it kill them to put another 'Miller' in the same homeroom? Apparently not. How lucky am I to be alone on the first day of school?

After Ms. Banks helped Jeanette and Eleanor go to their homerooms, she helped me go to mine. Like I said, this school was huge and my homeroom was at least 6 doors away from my sisters. Ms. Banks brought us to one of the doors before we both stepped inside, and like any other high school, there were teenagers my age, talking with the friends they haven't seen all Summer, or just simply catching up with other peers.

The moment I stepped into the class, everyone stopped talking and all eyes were on me.

I gulped. Today was the first day of school. It's only been a few minutes and already, I'm lost, I don't have my sisters with me, I know no one at all, I'm in a new school, in a new city I just moved in just a few months ago. But the worst part of it is, I don't have Alvin by my side either. He's probably enjoying his first day back at school. I mean, he's not new. He probably has a ton of friends. I can imagine him laughing and smiling, happy to see his friends again after all this time.

And here I am, lonely and lost without him.

* * *

><p><strong>Hmm. What do you guys think will happen now? <strong>

**HINT: Little does Brittany know, she MAY be closer to Alvin than she thinks...**

**Anyway, we're going to be introduced to a bunch of new characters soon, and they will have a HUGE part to this story. And let me tell you, they _may_ or _may not_ be a good impact on Alvin and Brittany's relationship. So what do you think will happen next? Will it be a good thing or a bad thing...?**

**Thanks so much for reading! PLEASE review! :D**


	10. New friends, new feelings

**"Missing you could turn from pain to pleasure, if I knew you were missing me too." - Anonymous **

**...**

All eyes were on me, and everyone became silent the moment I stepped in. I sighed, hating this feeling. Okay, yeah, I _do _love being the center of attention, but not today. Today was the first day of school. I don't know a single person, my sisters are in another homeroom, I have no friends, and the one person who I miss and love with all my heart was away from me.

No words can describe how much I miss Alvin. I know that today is his first day back at school too, but I know for a fact that he's enjoying today. I mean, he's back with his friends, and back with the people he knows. Like I said, he probably has a ton of friends and is probably smiling and laughing, while I'm here, oblivious to everything that is going on around me.

Ms. Banks introduced me to my homeroom teacher, Mrs. Vine, who introduced me to the entire class. Well, not class, but just the people in my homeroom. I'm positive that there were tons more people in my grade than this. I would have thought that I wouldn't be the only newbie here, but I was, which made the day a trillion times worse. Ms. Banks soon left, and Mrs. Vine instructed me to sit at one of the tables.

As I walked down the classroom to have a seat, I noticed that some of the boys tried to make eye contact with me. It made me extremely uncomfortable. At my old school, I had many boys eyeing my all the time too, but I never took any interest in any of them. And for the boys who are trying to get my attention now, well, I couldn't care less.

10 minutes in, Mrs. Vine handed each of us our timetable. I looked mine over, glad to see that I got into the classes I wanted. I wanted to text Jeanette and Eleanor to see if I had any classes with them, but I decided that I'll just ask them later. Since today was the first day of school, it was a pretty chill and relaxing day. Official classes don't start until tomorrow, so Mrs. Vine told us we could do whatever we want for the time being until the next bell rang.

I just sat here, alone. I looked around the classroom, and seeing how everyone knew each other made me miss Alvin a lot more. I sighed, looking at my phone. I just wanted to get out of this awkward situation of being alone, but again, I made myself look extremely anti-social. But the moment I flipped my phone on, I saw 4 girls walking up to me.

At first, I thought they were just gonna sit at the table in front of me, and totally ignore me like how most people do to the newbies at school. But I was proven wrong when the girl with blonde hair came up to me and smiled. They all sat at the table in front of me and turned around to face me.

"Hi there." Said the blonde girl, giving me a smile.

I didn't say anything at first. Should I say hi? I mean, I don't know her, but again, I don't know anybody here at all. But then I decided that I might as well make friends today. I smiled at her. "Hi."

"You're Brittany, right?" Asked the blonde again.

I just nodded.

The blonde girl smiled. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Tiffany, by the way."

I smiled. "It's nice to meet you too."

The blonde smiled and said, "This is Scarlett..." She said, pointing to the girl with red hair. "This is Chantelle..." She said, now pointing to the girl with jet black hair. "And this is Paula." She said, pointing to the girl with the chocolate brown hair.

I looked over to the three other girls, who simply waved back. The girls with the red hair and black hair, Scarlett and Chantelle, smiled warmly at me, while the girl with brown hair, Paula, didn't. But I decided to shrug that off. It didn't bother me, really.

"Hi." I said to them.

Scarlett smiled. "So, you're the new kid, huh?"

"Um, I guess." I said. "I just moved here just this Summer."

"Ooh, where'd you move from?" Asked Scarlett.

"Santa Barbara." I answered, then shrugged. "My mom's job moved here, so we had no choice than to move here as well."

"Oh, so how do you like Hollywood so far?" Asked Scarlett.

"It's nice. I love the weather here." I answered.

"Yeah, that's one of the nice things about LA. It's sunny most of the time." Answered Chantelle. "Anyway, have you met anyone here yet?"

"Well, no..." I said.

"You haven't? Like, no one at all?" Chantelle asked.

Scarlett rolled her eyes as she turned to her friend. "Don't be stupid, Chantelle. Of course she doesn't know anyone here! She's new!" Scarlett said, before turning to me. "Sorry about that, Brittany."

I laughed. "It's fine."

Chantelle smiled. "But really. If you don't know anyone here, we wouldn't want you to feel left out! I know how you feel. I hate the feeling of being the new kid."

I wasn't sure what to say to that, so I just forced out a laugh.

"Just stick with us, and you'll know everyone in no time." Said Chantelle.

Then suddenly, Tiffany lit up as if a light bulb just went off inside her head. "I have an idea, Brittany. You can hang out with us! Just stick with us and we can show you around the school, and show you where your classes are. We can introduce you to everyone and everything!"

I looked at her weirdly, slightly taken aback by Tiffany's sudden excitement. "Um..."

But before anything else could happen, Paula spoke up. She looked at me darkly, but smiled sweetly. "Don't mind her, Brittany. Tiffany can be a bit...overly excited sometimes. But anyway, if you want, you can hang out with us. I mean, we _are _popular and we do have a lot of friends."

I looked at Paula. I don't know what it was, but there was something inside of me that told me not to trust her. But what do I know? I mean, Tiffany, Scarlett and Chantelle seem like nice people. Whatever, I knew it was wrong to judge people when you first meet them. I mean, I just met these girls just a few minutes ago. But I thought it was really nice of them to come over her and say hello to me, especially to a new person like me.

I smiled. "Oh, um, thanks."

Chantelle smiled. "Don't worry, Brittany. We're not mean or anything, if that's what you're thinking. We just like to make new friends, that's all. We're just those types of people who like to make friends! Sorry if we creeped you out by suddenly wanting to be friends out of the blue, but that's just us. The four of us have been friends for 3 years now."

Tiffany nodded. "And like I said, if you want, just stick with us and you'll be friends with everyone in no time."

We had 30 minutes to kill before the next bell rang, and in those minutes, Tiffany, Chantelle and Scarlett welcomed me and introduced me to a few more people. But Paula? Not so much. She kinda just sat there the whole time as she applied mascara on her lashes. But other than that, they all actually seemed really nice. We all got to know each other better, we exchanged numbers, and in less than 20 minutes, we all became really close friends. I sighed to myself. Before today, I had this fear that I would spend the entire school year knowing no one. But now, I'm lucky that I have a few people I could rely on.

Of course, I couldn't put my complete trust in these girls yet. Not because I just met them, but because I knew I had to get to know them better. Today is my first day of school, after all. But honestly, Chantelle, Tiffany and Scarlett seemed like those types of girls you would love to be friends with. They laughed and talked a lot and they just seem like overall friendly people.

But Paula...well, I still have my doubts about her. I mean, yeah, she's nice, but she is extremely snobby. You know, those types of girls who seem stuck up, but still have a lot of friends? Yeah, she seemed like that. I don't know if Paula is naturally like that or whatever, but she just seems kinda snobby and spoiled. I mean, she talks to me and all that, but not as much as the other girls do. To me, I kind of get this feeling that Paula thinks of herself as some sort of 'leader' of her group of friends. She seems like those types of stuck up girls you see in TV shows and movies sometimes.

But I don't know. That's just my opinion.

Like I mentioned, classes officially start tomorrow. There was literally nothing else to do but just sit around the homeroom and talk. I was relieved when the bell rang. I guess we were suppose to go find our classes now. Being the new kid, and not knowing where any of the classrooms were was just...ugh, great.

"So, what classes do you have Brittany?" Asked Tiffany as she came up to me.

"Um, I have English first, then Math -" I started.

"Great! I have English with you too! I'll help you find your math class later. It'll give me an excuse for being late for my next class. I'll just tell my teacher that I was just helping a friend find her way around the school." Said Tiffany.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, thanks."

Then Paula, Chantelle and Scarlett came up to us. Chantelle smiled. "So, we'll see you guys later then, alright?"

Tiffany nodded. Chantelle and Scarlett smiled and waved at us, while Paula did nothing and just followed them before they all walked out of the door to go to their class. I blinked once, before looking over at Tiffany. It seemed like she read my mind because she gave me an apologetic look.

"Don't mind Paula. I know she can come off as a snob, but if you get to know her, you'll like her. But you'll get use to her, I promise. Don't take any of her actions towards you personally." Tiffany explained.

"Is she always like that?" I asked.

Tiffany didn't say anything for a bit. "I'll explain it to you later. Now come on, we better get to class before we're late."

We arrived at our English class, where Tiffany and I sat at a table together. Our teacher did that typical 'Oh, welcome back from your Summer vacation' speech, but I wasn't listening at all. I don't think anyone was. After our teacher stopped talking, he gave out this sheet where we had to fill out our goals for this year. I sighed, as I looked over at Tiffany. She gave me the same bored expression.

Halfway through the class, I don't think anyone bothered to deal with the sheet because everyone began to have their own conversations.

I sat here for a moment, before turning to Tiffany.

"Hey, Tiffany?" I asked.

"Yeah?" She said, looking at me.

"About Paula..." I began.

"Oh, right." Tiffany said. She sighed before saying, "Well, about Paula, she's not always the friendliest person to be around, especially to new people."

I raised my eyebrows. "Really?"

Tiffany sighed and leaned in closer to me and lowered her voice. "Don't tell her I said this, but Paula has this kind of...'fear' that she'll lose popularity. She _is_ one of the most popular girls in our school. She shows animosity towards girls who she thinks might steal her spotlight." Tiffany said.

I froze for a moment. Paula sounds exactly like me. In my old school, I was the most popular girl there. But I decided not to say anything. It wasn't really anyone's business. But I forced a smile and said, "Me? Well, Paula doesn't need to worry about that."

Tiffany smiled then shrugged. "But like I said, don't take anything she says or does to you personally. Believe me, when I first met her, I didn't like her at all. But if she's really bothering you, just ignore her."

"Oh, she's not bother me." I said truthfully. "But it's just, well, she's so different from you, Chantelle or Scarlett. I mean, you girls were really nice to me, but she just acted as if I wasn't there."

Tiffany smiled and nodded. "Yeah, we know. But that's how Paula is. I mean, she's still one of my really close friends, but I totally understand what you're trying to say. She seems kinda rude and spoiled sometimes, huh."

"Well, sorta." I said.

"But trust me, once you get to know her, you two will become really good friends." Said Tiffany. "She's just having a hard time, that's all."

I looked at her. "With what?"

Tiffany bit her bottom lip for a moment. "Well, all I know is that she's been having issues with her family for years, and that she's gotten her heart broken a few times in the past."

"Oh." I said.

"Yeah. So don't mind her." Tiffany said, thus ending our conversation.

I was surprised how fast this day went. By the time the final bell rang for the day, I felt like I could breathe again. I said goodbye to Tiffany, Chantelle, Scarlett, and even Paula. They all said goodbye as well, but I could still see that Paula was a bit reluctant. But overall, I thought that my first day of school went fine. But I remembered what Tiffany said about Paula. Paula was scared that I would somehow steal her popularity? What the hell, I mean, I'm new here! Not that I'm planning to, but how the hell was I suppose to do that? I shrugged it off. I guess there could be some people like that.

I met up with Eleanor and Jeanette at the front of the school a few minutes later, where we all waited for Miss Miller to pick us up.

"Hey guys." I said, as I approached them.

"Hey Britt." Said Jeanette. "How was your first day of school?"

I shrugged. "It actually didn't go that bad."

"That's good. It's a shame that we don't have any classes together though." Said Eleanor.

I sighed. "Yeah, I know. But it's cool. At least we still get to see each other at lunch or at the break or whatever."

Jeanette smiled. "Yeah. Anyway, I'm extremely tired. I just wanna go home, and take a nap."

"Same here." Said Eleanor. "I'm exhausted."

I laughed to myself and sighed. "I just can't wait to go home and call Alvin."

"Awwwww." Eleanor teased, while Jeanette laughed. "Does Brittany miss her boyfriend?"

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile. "Of course I do." I said gently.

Words can't even describe how much I miss him. To be honest, knowing that Alvin and I go to different schools kind of worries me. Even though Alvin told me that nothing will ever come in between us to break our relationship apart, I still had a small fear inside of me that some other girl will take him away from me. I mean, I'm not there to witness anything. Like I said, Alvin and I go to different schools. I don't know what'll be going on over at his school, but I'm just hoping that Alvin will stick to his word.

But I know that I don't have to worry about that. Alvin would never dream of cheating on me, like I would never ever cheat on him. I put 110% of my trust in him. Sure, there may be girls chasing after him. I mean, I wouldn't blame them. Alvin _is _extremely good looking, not to mention, extremely hot too. But whatever. I know Alvin, and I know that he and I will stay committed to our relationship.

But before any of my sisters could say anything else, Miss Miller finally arrived. The moment we arrived back home, I instantly ran upstairs to my room, fell on my bed, got my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed Alvin's number. I sighed, smiling to myself. I just couldn't wait to hear his voice again. I couldn't wait to ask him how his first day of school went.

But after about 10 rings, his voice mail came up. I frowned as I hung up.

"Maybe he's busy." I said quietly to myself.

I re-dialed his phone number once more, but like the first time, he didn't pick up and his voice mail came up again. I hung up again. All the happiness and excitement I was feeling just moments ago, just simply disappeared. I haven't seen Alvin, nor talked to him in an entire week. I've spent 7 whole days, wanting to hear his voice again. But the moment I get a chance to finally call him, he doesn't pick up? It did hurt me on the inside, but I told myself that Alvin is probably just busy. I mean, it is the first day back at school for him too, after all. He may be busy catching up with all of his friends that he hasn't seen for months.

But still...

Would Alvin really pick his friends over me?

I shook my head. God, I'm being so selfish. Honestly, I didn't mind if Alvin is spending time with his friends. But the fact that we haven't seen each other in an entire week, and he doesn't answer his phone...well, it kinda does hurt me on the inside.

I tried once more. I dialed his phone number again, and waited. And like I expected, he didn't answer. I slightly rolled my eyes to myself before deciding to text him. If calling him won't work, then maybe texting him will.

_Baby, are you there? Call me as soon as you get this, okay?_

I pressed 'Send', hoping that I would receive a reply soon. But after 5 minutes of waiting, I gave up. I sighed as I shoved my phone back into my pocket. I got off my bed, walked out of my bedroom and descended down the stairs. I went into the kitchen, grabbed an apple from the fruit basket Miss Miller kept on the counters, and sat at the kitchen table beside my sisters.

"Did you talk to Alvin yet?" Jeanette asked, looking at me.

I shook my head. "He wouldn't pick up." I muttered.

Eleanor raised her eyebrows. "He didn't pick up? Well, maybe he's busy or something."

I shrugged as I took a bite of my apple. "I guess."

"Just try again later, Britt. I'm sure he misses you too." Said Jeanette.

I just nodded, but didn't say a word.

That night, as I was sitting in front of my vanity mirror, combing my hair, I looked over at my cell phone, which was lying on my bed. I sighed as I looked at the time. It's now 10:45PM. It's been almost 7 hours since I last called Alvin. I mean, if Alvin _was _busy, then he would have at least noticed that I called him, and he would have at least called me back. I mean, it's been almost 7 hours! He couldn't have been away from his phone for that long, could he?

I sighed as I turned my attention back to my hair. I know I should go to bed soon. I have school tomorrow, and since Summer vacation just ended, it's gonna take me a while before I'm used to waking up at 6:30 in the morning again. After one final stroke, I put my hair brush down. I got up and flicked the light switch off before getting into my bed. I looked over at my phone again, but of course, there was nothing from Alvin. No calls, no texts - nothing.

I put my phone down on top of my bedside drawer, and closed my eyes. I wasn't feeling tired at all, but I knew I needed to get some rest for school tomorrow. I'm just that type of person who needs sleep, because if I don't, I turn into the biggest grouch alive.

But at least 10 minutes passed before I finally heard a small 'beep' coming from my phone, meaning that I just received a text message. I gasped to myself as my eyes flew open and as I grabbed my phone from the drawer beside my bed, and went to my inbox. But the moment I saw who it was from, my heart instantly sank to the bottom of my stomach. It wasn't from Alvin, but instead, it was from Jeanette.

_Hey Brittany. Are you still up?_

I sighed, feeling my heart crumble up in pieces, knowing that it wasn't from Alvin - the one person I miss more than anything, the one person I trust with all my heart. I wasn't just starting to feel upset, I was beginning to feel pissed off. But I knew I had to do something. I might as well just call him tomorrow. I looked back at my phone and replied.

_Yeah, I am. Why?_

Jeanette replied back after a moment.

_I was just wondering if you're done reading my copy of The Hunger Games. I need it for class tomorrow._

I sighed to myself. Couldn't she just ask me tomorrow? I replied back.

_Yeah, I'll give it back to you tomorrow morning._

After a few seconds, Jeanette replied back.

_Thanks!_

I put my phone back on top of my drawer. I knew that there was no point in waiting for a call or text from Alvin because it probably won't happen. This was seriously pissing me off. I mean, what could be so important that he just had to ignore my text messages and my calls? And it wouldn't even take a long time to call or text me back either!

I sighed again as I brought my knees up to my chest. I closed my eyes. Doesn't Alvin know how much I miss him? I mean, doesn't he miss me too? If he _did _see my text messages and calls, then it's pretty damn inconsiderate of him to just ignore me. But no, he couldn't have just ignored me, right? Alvin would never do that. I mean, that's just not him...

I sighed deeply and told myself to just sleep it off, to make myself feel better. And who knows? Maybe when I wake up tomorrow morning, Alvin will text me back. I laid back in my bed, covered myself with my pink blanket, and finally fell asleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning...<p>

I groaned when I heard my alarm clock go off. I groggily opened my eyes, only to find myself tangled up in my blankets. I slapped the snooze button on my alarm clock and just laid here until I felt the strength to get up and get ready for school. Then I remembered something. I reached over to my phone and switched it on, hoping to see something from Alvin, or should I say, the person I call 'my boyfriend' but ignored my text messages and phone calls for an entire day. I looked at the screen, and when I saw that it was empty, I just simply gave up.

Yes, it hurts, knowing that he didn't even bother to call or text me back. But the thing that hurts the most is not knowing why.

I sighed as I got out of bed. I freshened myself up in the bathroom, changed into a T-shirt and shorts, and went downstairs to eat breakfast, where I found Eleanor and Jeanette already there. Miss Miller always went to work early in the mornings, so it was just the 3 of us alone before we all went to school. But the moment I stepped foot into the kitchen, Jeanette looked up at me, looking extremely eager to say something. Ugh, it was probably about that book of hers.

"Britt!" Jeanette exclaimed.

I stopped in my tracks and sighed. "Yeah, I know. I'll give you your book back after breakfast."

"No, it's not that. I got a text from Simon this morning." Jeanette said.

I raised my eyebrows. Simon? As in Simon Seville? Alvin's brother? I sat down at the table and looked at my sister. "You did? What for? Is it about Alvin?" I asked.

I wanted to know if it had something to do with Alvin. It BETTER be something about Alvin and his explanation for ignoring my calls and text messages. To be honest, I wasn't just upset at Alvin anymore, and I wasn't just pissed either. But I was downright insulted by him. If he _did_ see my calls and messages to him, then why didn't he answer? Why didn't he call back?

Jeanette nodded. "Yeah, it's about him. He-"

I scoffed. "Is it worth hearing?"

Eleanor frowned. "Brittany, please don't tell me you and Alvin are fighting again."

"He probably doesn't even care, since he didn't bother to call me back all day yesterday." I muttered.

Jeanette sighed deeply before continuing. "Anyway, Simon told me to tell you that Alvin _did _get your messages and calls, but-"

"WHAT?" I exclaimed.

"_But_..." Jeanette continued. "...That Alvin was too busy with something, that he couldn't really call you back."

Anger swam in my veins. I crossed my legs, trying to keep my anger within myself. "What could be so important that he just HAD to avoid my calls? And it wasn't like I called him a trillion times! I only called him like, 3 times, but he still wouldn't pick up!"

Jeanette shrugged. "I don't know. But Simon wanted me to tell you that Alvin said that you can call him back later again."

Wait _what_? First of all, why should _I _be the one to call back? And secondly, shouldn't he be the one who should call back first? But the thing that confuses me the most is the fact that Simon is saying all of this. I mean, why did Alvin have to make his brother pass this news to Jeanette, when he could have done it himself?

"Well _I'm _not gonna bother to call him anymore. If he wants to talk to me, then _he _can call _me_. But I'm not going to waste my time calling him if he's just gonna ignore me again." I snapped.

I saw my sisters exchange glance with each other before Jeanette spoke up again. "Oh, and lastly, Simon also wanted me to tell you that Alvin misses you." She said.

I raised my eyebrows. "Oh really." I muttered.

"Aw, don't be like that, Britt. I'm sure Alvin has a good explanation to why he avoided your calls in the first place. Maybe he had a reason to. At least he's still thinking about you." Eleanor said.

I sighed deeply, realizing that Eleanor was right. "I guess..."

I felt the anger melt away just a little bit after that. I guess that was alright. Maybe I shouldn't stay mad at him. I mean, I _did _miss him and it's been a while since I saw him. And despite how pissed off I was at him, I still love him, of course. He just needs a decent explanation to why he ignored my calls in the first place, before I can forgive him entirely again, that's all.

Jeanette smiled. "Cheer up, Britt. You'll talk to him tonight."

I nodded, unable to smile. But I decided to just leave this situation alone. If Alvin had better things to do than to call me back, then I have better things to do than worry over him. I don't know why, but after what happened yesterday, I just don't know what to do with my feelings anymore. I know that I still love him. I love Alvin more than anything, more than I have ever loved anything in my life.

But all I'm asking myself now is...does Alvin still feel the same?

* * *

><p><strong>Oh no...is this the beginning of an unfaithful relationship?<strong>

**Why didn't Alvin call her back? Will Alvin and Brittany see each other again soon? And what do you guys think of Tiffany, Scarlett and Chantelle so far? How about Paula?**

**Thanks so much for reading, and PLEASE REVIEW!**

**Thanks everyone! :D**


	11. Surprises, surprises

**"On this journey that you're making, there'll be answers that you'll see." - Tarzan (Disney film), 1999**

**...**

I couldn't exactly focus on school today. Every class that I've had so far, my mind would be somewhere else. Ever since last night, when Alvin didn't bother to return my text messages and phone calls, I've been starting to question our relationship. As much as it killed me to think this, but I was beginning to think that Alvin has been ignoring me on purpose...

No, that can't be right. I know him, and I know that he isn't the type of person to do that.

But this morning, when my sisters and I were eating breakfast, and when Jeanette told me that Alvin did indeed receive my calls but was too busy to call me back, well, my heart just sank. I mean, I completely understand if he was busy. It was the first week back at school after all. But still, taking the time to call me back - especially since we haven't seen each other in over a week - doesn't even take that long! I mean, would it kill him to take a few minutes out of his time to call me?

It was frustrating, not only to me, but I was frustrated at Alvin. He's supposed to be my boyfriend, for God's sake. Doesn't he realize that I miss him? Ugh. Jeanette and Eleanor tried to convince me to just relax and to just let go of the situation for a bit. But how can I? I mean, not only does it make me mad, but it hurts.

All week, I've been so excited to call him again. Because of the fact that we go to different schools, I won't be able to see him as much as I did during the Summertime. But now, knowing that I won't be able to see him in a while just makes me want to run away.

My sisters said I was being a bit clingy. Okay, fine, maybe I am, but barely! And you can't exactly blame me! I haven't seen my boyfriend in over a week, and the moment I try to call him, he doesn't pick up his damn phone. Not that I don't exactly mind, but the thing that pisses me off the most was not knowing why he didn't pick up. But whatever. Like I said, it isn't worth worrying over anymore.

I was in English class. The teacher wrote down a topic on the board, and we had to write a few paragraphs on it. I sighed to myself. 20 minutes have already passed, and I still got nothing. I looked around the classroom, only to see people silently writing down stuff on their piece of paper. I looked down at mine. It was blank, empty.

Tiffany, who was sitting right beside me, looked at my paper then to me. "Brittany, you haven't written anything down." She whispered.

I sighed. "I know. I just can't think of anything to write." I whispered back.

"Do you need help?" She asked, as she ran her fingers through her blonde hair.

I shook my head. "No, it's fine."

Tiffany nodded her head before going back to writing. I sighed to myself as I picked up my pencil. I hate this feeling. You know when you get that feeling when you know something, but you just can't get it out of your system, and you just feel like running away while screaming? Yeah, that's how I feel right now expect a trillion times worse. At least 5 more minutes passed before I gave up once again. I dropped my pencil back on my desk and sat back.

Tiffany frowned as she looked at me. "Brittany, are you feeling alright?"

I looked at her. "What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Well, all day you've seemed kinda...sad." Tiffany said.

I sighed and sat up again. "It's nothing. Don't worry about me." I whispered.

But she just continued to look at me. "Are you sure?"

I said nothing at first. Was it really that obvious that I was upset? But I just shrugged. I honestly wanted to tell her, so I wouldn't have to deal with keeping my feelings locked inside of me. But again, I didn't want to say it out loud.

"It's nothing, really. It's just, well, there are a lot of things going through my mind." I answered.

Tiffany nodded then said, "I don't wanna seem all up in your business, but if you need someone to talk to, I'm here."

I sighed. I knew I should tell her. I knew I should tell someone to ease up my nerves a bit. I mean, I know I spoke to Jeanette and Eleanor about it, but my sisters weren't exactly helping me. All they said to me was to get over it for a while and just focus on something else. Okay, I really did try doing that, but it just made everything worse. I mean, I tried listening to my sisters, and I tried to forget about Alvin for a while, but it didn't make anything better.

Like I said, I know I'm being a bit clingy but I can't help it. Alvin didn't call me back or return any of my text messages and I just want to know why. I mean, if he gave me a reason to not return any of my calls, then that would be okay. But since he didn't, well, that feeling of frustration just stuck to me and it kept on increasing.

I took a deep sigh. "Well, it's just..."

But before anything else, our English teacher cleared his throat. Both Tiffany and I looked up at the same time, only to see our teacher glaring at us like a hawk.

"Is there a problem?" He asked us.

Tiffany and I shook our heads.

"Then I expect you ladies to do less talking, and more writing." He said, before returning back to his desk.

I looked over at Tiffany, who slightly rolled her eyes at the teacher. "I'll tell you later." I whispered to her.

She nodded, before we both went back to writing. An hour passed before the bell rang. I sighed in relief. I managed to get a few paragraphs down, but my mind was still somewhere else. I was just glad that English class was finally done for the day, but despite that, it was only the first class of the day. I had to get through all of my other classes.

After Tiffany swung her bag over her shoulder, she looked at me and said, "So, I'll see you at lunch time?"

"Um, sure. But where do you guys eat lunch? The cafeteria?" I asked.

"Oh, God no. We don't eat at the cafeteria because that's where all the jocks hang out. Don't get me wrong, I mean, they're all super hot, and we're all on friendly terms with us, but you know how boys can be. They can be complete assholes." Said Tiffany.

I forced a laugh. "Ha, yeah."

"And besides..." Tiffany lowered her voice. "Paula doesn't want to go near them."

I raised my eyebrows. "Why not?" I asked.

"Like I said yesterday, Paula's that type of girl that every guy wants to go out with. But she's gotten her heart broken once, and it really affected her." Said Tiffany. "She's had one serious relationship with this one guy, but he broke up with her afterwards. And now, she really wants to be with this other guy, but he's always turning her down."

"Wow." I said.

"And the worst part is that the boy who broke up with her, and the boy she wants to be with now, are best friends." Tiffany said, sighing.

I just looked at her. "What?" I exclaimed.

"Yeah, I know. And to make things even worse, all of the guys are best friends, and they have their other buddies to back them up. It makes Paula feel really bad about herself, and it brings her self esteem down. And as you noticed, she tries to cover it up by acting like she doesn't care." Tiffany said.

I said nothing at first. So Paula's had a serious relationship, but got dumped afterwards. And the one boy she likes now, doesn't like her back. I honestly have no idea what Paula could be feeling, but truthfully, I feel really bad for her. When I met Paula for the first time yesterday, I thought she was being a complete snob. But now, after hearing what she's been through, I couldn't really blame her.

Tiffany continued. "So yeah. That's why we don't eat at the cafeteria." She said.

"But does Paula still talk to them?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. We all do. I mean, we've all been friends for years. Paula stills talks to them, but she tends to avoid some of them too, because the guys are always teasing her. But at the end, we know it's a joke, but it always hurts Paula." Tiffany said.

"But isn't she like, one of the popular girls at this school? She could get anyone, can't she?" I asked.

Tiffany shrugged. "That's why Chantelle, Scarlett and I said. But Paula never listens. Whenever she wants something, she doesn't stop until she gets it." She said.

I didn't say anything for at least 3 seconds before I finally said, "Hm, wow."

Tiffany nodded. "Yeah." She said, then sighed. "But anyway, just meet us at the courtyard at lunch, okay? That's where we always meet."

I nodded as I swung by bag over my shoulder. "Okay, see you."

But before Tiffany and I went our separate ways, she stopped and said, "Oh, and Brittany?"

I turned around. "Yeah?"

"Are you still feeling alright?" She asked.

And right after she said that, I felt the entire world crash down on me. My mind was completely free of Alvin, and to be honest, I almost forgot about the entire situation between me and him. But the moment Tiffany asked me if I was feeling alright, every single emotion came back to me. The feeling of hurt, knowing that Alvin might have been ignoring me on purpose, came back.

I've said this a million times, but the fact that Alvin didn't call me back didn't bother me. But the fact that he didn't call me back on _purpose_ and me, not knowing why, was the reason that hurts the most.

I sighed. "Yeah, I'm fine. I-I'll just tell you later at lunch."

Tiffany nodded. "Alright. So, I'll see you later."

I nodded. "Bye." I said, before I walked out the classroom, and into the hallways.

The next two classes were a complete pain in the ass to get through. Not because of the classes, but because of the things that were on my mind. I know, I know, I'm being a compulsive girlfriend right now, but put yourself in my shoes. If your boyfriend decides not to call you or text you back on PURPOSE without giving you a reason, wouldn't you feel worried? I know I shouldn't be worrying about the topic of cheating, but what if...

No. I've got to stop. Alvin would never do that. I know he would never cheat on me - ever.

Ugh, I've just got to stop thinking about him. Not only is it affecting my mind, but it's starting to get plain annoying. That's it, I'm done. I'll go home after school today, and call Alvin again. And if he doesn't pick up again, then I'm going over to his house. No exceptions.

If Alvin doesn't want to talk to me, then fine. But I just need to know why. I mean, would it kill him to call me and say, _'I can't talk right now, Britt, I'm busy.'_? Does he really have to ignore me like this? God...

But by the time the lunch bell rang, I sighed in relief. Well, it was about time! I gathered up all my bags, and walked out the classroom. I arrived at my locker, put my books in, closed it, and began to make my way to the courtyard where I was going to meet up with Tiffany, Paula, Chantelle and Scarlett for lunch. When I walked into the courtyard, I saw Tiffany, Chantelle, Scarlett and Paula sitting at one of the lunch tables, so I walked over to them.

Scarlett smiled when she saw me. "Hey girl!" She said.

"Hey!" I said, sitting down beside her. Paula, Tiffany and Chantelle were sitting on the opposite side of the table.

"I like what you're wearing." Chantelle said, as she removed her sunglasses and placed it on top of her head.

"Thanks." I said. Today I was wearing a pink Summer dress with white sandals.

We all began to eat out lunches as we engaged into our own conversation. It was so nice talking to these girls. Even though I just met them yesterday, they were super nice to me. And even though I'm the new kid at this school, they've been treating me as if they've been friends with me for years. Through our conversation, all we did was gossip (Like all girls do), laugh and basically spoke whatever was on our minds. Even Paula seemed to be laughing.

After a while, Chantelle turned to me and said, "So, Brittany, where did you say you were from again?"

"We moved from Santa Barbara because my mom's job moved here." I said.

"Oh. Well, Santa Barbara is only a few hours away from here, right?" Asked Chantelle.

I nodded. "Yeah, around 4 hours away."

"How long have you been living here in Hollywood?" Asked Scarlett.

"We only came last June." I said.

"It must've been really hard to leave all your friends behind, huh?" Scarlett asked, as she twirled her red hair around her finger.

I nodded. "A bit."

"It must've been really hard to leave your boyfriend too." Said Chantelle.

I almost choked. I looked at her and said, "Oh, no. I didn't have a boyfriend."

Chantelle gasped. "You didn't?"

I wasn't sure if she meant that as a good thing, or a bad thing. "Um, no..." I said.

"But you're so pretty! I'm sure you had one." Scarlett said.

I laughed. "No, I actually didn't."

"Well, whatever. I mean, who needs boys anyway?" Chantelle said.

But before anything else, I saw Tiffany give Chantelle the eye. And as if we all read each others mind, we all took a quick glance at Paula, who acted like she didn't hear us. I guess the topic of boys was forbidden, at least around Paula.

Chantelle cleared her throat nervously. "I-I mean...nevermind."

Tiffany turned to me. "It's okay, Brittany. We're all single anyway. You know what they say. Sisters before misters."

I laughed gently, but said nothing. At first, I wanted to tell them that I do in fact have a boyfriend, but at this point, I'm not even sure if it's true. But what the hell am I saying? Of course Alvin and I are still together, but recently, it just doesn't seem like it. But we're still together. I mean, just because we haven't seen or talked to each other for a while, doesn't mean that we're not together anymore...right?

"Well, actually...I _do _have a boyfriend now." I said.

Tiffany, Chantelle and Scarlett gasped. Even Paula looked up to look at me.

Tiffany squealed. "You do? Ohmygod, is he cute?"

I smiled. "Well, yeah."

"Is he hot?" Scarlett asked.

I laughed. "Well, I guess you could say that..."

"How did you meet him?" Scarlett asked.

I laughed again. "To be honest, we met each other coincidentally. We met each other around June, and we just started to go out with each other ever since."

"Awwwww! Oh my gosh, I'm so jealous!" Said Chantelle. "Is he a good kisser?"

Tiffany smacked her forehead as Scarlett turned to Chantelle. "Oh my God, Chantelle. You just can't ask someone if their boyfriend is a good kisser. You're so weird." Said Scarlett.

"Well _sorry_ for being curious." Chantelle muttered.

I laughed. "No, it's fine." I said, but I was glad I didn't have to answer the question. I mean, hell yeah Alvin is a good kisser, but people didn't need to know _that_ much.

"So, wait. You met him here in Hollywood after you moved?" Asked Tiffany.

I nodded. "Yeah. I met him like, a week after we moved here."

"That is so cute!" Said Tiffany. "So, do you guys see each other everyday?"

I froze for a bit. "Well, we used to, but not recently."

Scarlett frowned. "Why not?"

I shrugged. "He's busy with school, and I'm busy with school. We don't really see each other that often anymore."

"So he goes to a different school than you?" Asked Scarlett.

"Probably. The moment I found out that I was going to this school, he left for a one week trip and I didn't get a chance to tell him." I answered.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Asked Chantelle.

Ugh, I hated this. I _knew _I shouldn't have brought this up. I promised myself not to think about Alvin anymore until school ends so I can call him again, but now, talking to the girls about this, it just made everything worse.

"Like, a week ago. More than that, actually." I sighed.

"What? Why?" Asked Chantelle.

I shrugged again. "He's probably just busy. I mean, I'm busy too." I said timidly.

"Does he love you?" Tiffany teased.

I laughed. "Yeah, of course he does."

"And do you love him?" She asked.

I nodded. "Of course I love him. I mean, he's already got my mother's approval."

Scarlett squealed with excitement. "Oh my god, that is so cute! You two must be in a serious relationship then."

I shrugged and smiled. "I guess."

Tiffany flipped her blonde hair over her shoulder and sighed deeply as she looked at me. "Brittany, I am _so_ jealous of you. Have you guys talked on the phone at all ever since the last time you saw him?" She asked.

I sighed deeply. "No."

Tiffany raised her eyebrows. "You haven't? Why?"

I sighed. "I dunno. I tried calling him all day yesterday, but he never picked up."

Chantelle shook her head. "Well, boys will be boys. They _always_ pick their friends first."

I said nothing. I mean, what Chantelle said _may _be true for some boys, but I know Alvin. I'm not trying to sound selfish or anything, but I know that Alvin would never pick any of his friends over me. I know that as the truth. But I decided not to say anything, but I just smiled.

Tiffany scoffed. "Same with girls. I'll always pick my friends over some boy. I mean, you girls will always have my back, right? Like how I'll always have yours."

Chantelle nodded. "Of course we will."

Scarlett turned to me. "So Brittany, if you're ever having some boy problems or whatever, just come to us. We'll plan like, a shopping trip or a sleepover to make you feel better."

I smiled. "Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it."

I looked at the time on my cell phone. We only had 5 more minutes left until lunch ended. I noticed that Paula never said anything. I felt bad. She must've felt really uncomfortable when we were talking about my boyfriend, due to the fact that she has gotten her heart broken so many times. Maybe Paula isn't who I thought she was. She may seem bitter on the outside, but like Tiffany said, if I get to know her, we may become friends.

"So Brittany, if you don't mind me asking - since he goes to a different school and all that - but what's his name?" Asked Tiffany.

Ugh, I did NOT want to say Alvin's name right now, but I didn't have a choice.

"Alvin. Alvin Seville." I said.

And that's when all four of the girls froze. Scarlett stopped eating her apple, Tiffany put her half eaten banana down and Chantelle raised her eyebrows. Even Paula snapped her head up to look at me. They looked at each other, then back at me.

"Wait, WHAT?" Paula asked. It was the first time I heard her speak today, which shocked me.

I blinked as I looked at them. "What did I say?" I asked slowly.

"Sorry, could you repeat his name again?" Scarlett asked.

"Why?" I asked, giving them all weird looks.

"Did you say his name was Alvin Seville?" Paula asked me.

To be honest, I was shocked that Paula was talking to me for the first time. But what surprised me even more was the _reason_ to why she's speaking to me. I mean, all I said was Alvin's name, right? So why - of all reasons - is she talking to me _now_?

"Yeah. I mean, that's his name..." I said.

I saw Tiffany glance at the other girls before turning back to me. "So that's your _boyfriend_''s name. Alvin Seville?"

I nodded slowly. "Why? Do you guys know him or something?" I asked, beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable and suspicious.

"What? NO! Of course we don't. We were all just wondering, that's all." Scarlett said.

"Oh. Um, okay then..." I said, but I was starting to feel unsure about everything.

"So you said that you haven't seen him in over a week? And he didn't return any of your calls?" Asked Chantelle.

I said, "Well, yeah. I mean, he's probably really busy with school and-"

But before I could say anything else, the lunch bell rang, signalling the end of the lunch hour.

"What class do you have now, Brittany?" Asked Scarlett.

"History." I sighed.

"Oh. You better get going now before you're late. I hear that all of the History teachers will throw a fit if the students are late." Scarlett told me.

I nodded as I grabbed my bag. "Thanks for letting me have lunch with you girls today."

"Of course! You're always welcome to hang out with us." Tiffany said.

"I'll see you guys later." I said, before I walked out of the courtyard and into the hallway. But before I could disappear from their sight completely, I turned to look past my shoulder and saw that all four of them were looking at each other with seriousness written all over their face.

But the thing that stood out the most was the fact that Tiffany, Chantelle and Scarlett were looking right at Paula.

Why did Paula talk to me all of a sudden? I wasn't confused to why she began to talk to me in the first place, but I was wondering why she began to talk to me right after I told her my boyfriend's name is Alvin Seville. I mean, do the girls know him? No, it can't be possible. Scarlett herself said that they don't know him.

But then again...why did the girls react the way they did?

I decided to just forget about it the moment I arrived at History class. The lesson went on and on, and I thought it would never end. It was as boring as a History lesson could be. To make things worse, my History teacher spoke in the same boring old monotone voice that would make anybody want to jump off a building. It was boring as hell. I decided to stop listening once the teacher put on a movie about the American Revolution because it seemed like no one was listening. It seemed like the teacher stopped listening to the movie too.

But a few minutes later, I heard my cell phone vibrate in my bag. I secretly pulled it out, making sure the teacher wouldn't see, and flipped my phone open, only to see that I received a text message. I raised my eyebrows when I saw that it was a text message from Paula.

_Brittany, meet us at the courtyard after school._

I instantly replied back, suddenly feeling confused.

_Why?_

After a few seconds, Paula texted me back.

_Me and the girls have a little surprise for you._

* * *

><p><strong>Uh oh...<strong>

**Things are not looking pretty well right now. So what do you guys think will happen next? Do you guys trust Paula? Why do you think she reacted the way she did?**

**But most importantly, what is the 'surprise' that the girls have for Brittany? **

**Thanks so much for reading, guys! Please REVIEW :)**


	12. Sometimes, the truth hurts

**Hey guys! I just wanna say thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed this story so far. You guys are so awesome :)**

**Anyway, this chapter is, well...we're gonna see some different sides of some of the characters. It may, or may not be what you'd expect.**

**Oh, and from this point in the story, I will be doing Alvin's POV, along with Brittany's.**

**Anyway, here's the next chapter!**

* * *

><p><strong>"Love is like the truth, sometimes it prevails, sometimes it hurts." - Victor M. Garcia Jr.<strong>

**...**

Right when the final bell went off, I quickly gathered up all my books and left the classroom. As I made my way to my locker, which was on the completely opposite side of the school, I pulled out my phone and re-read the text for what seemed like the hundreth time. Why did Paula send me this? Why did she, along with the rest of the girls, want to see me after school?

But most importantly, what is this little 'surprise'?

I was beginning to feel suspicious. I mean, it was really weird. When I told the girls that I have a boyfriend, they were all really excited about it. But when I told them that my boyfriend's name is Alvin Seville, well, that's when things turned upside down. The moment I told them Alvin's name, they all seemed shocked.

But why?

I arrived at my locker a few minutes later, and stuffed my books inside. I was in a hurry, though I don't know why. I told the girls that I was gonna meet them at the courtyard after school, but I think I was rushing to find out what the hell this 'surprise' could possibly be. Right after I closed my locker, I turned around and suddenly spotted my sisters.

"Jeanette! Eleanor!" I called, as I half-walked, half-ran to them.

They stopped once they heard me and turned my way.

"Brittany, there you are. We were looking for you." Said Eleanor.

"Yeah. I have a ton of homework to do tonight, and I kinda wanna get a start on it soon. So can we go home now?" Asked Jeanette.

I bit my lip. "Yeah, about that..." I said, as I pulled my car keys out of my bag.

Jeanette frowned. "Uh oh, what now?"

I looked at her. "It's nothing bad, but I'm gonna be a bit late." I said, as I passed my car keys to her. "You guys can go without me."

"Why? Where are you off to?" Eleanor asked.

"Nowhere. But a few friends asked me to stay after school for a bit." I told them.

"Well, okay then." Jeanette said. "Just don't stay out too late."

I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Yes, Jeanette." I said.

My sister just rolled her eyes but smiled. "See you later." Jeanette said.

I waved at them before they walked away, and before I started to make my way to the courtyard. Let me tell you, the courtyard of this school is huge. I wouldn't even call it a courtyard. It seems more like a freakin' field to me. But whatever, that was the least of my concern. I stepped out, and sighed to myself as I felt the warmth hit my body. Today wasn't exactly a sunny day, but it was still nice out.

I automatically spotted Tiffany, Chantelle and Scarlett sitting at the bleachers across the field, so I went over to them. They were engaged within their own conversation with each other, but the moment they spotted me, they stopped talking and they turned all their attention on me.

"Hey, Brittany!" Tiffany smiled.

I waved. "Hey."

"Here, come sit with us." Tiffany said, as she scooted over to make room between her and Scarlett. Chantelle was sitting on the bleacher seat below theirs.

I sat between them and looked at them. "So, um, what's going on?"

"Well, I'm sure you're wondering why we all brought you here." Chantelle said.

I nodded. "Well, yeah..."

Scarlett laughed. "Brittany, it's nothing to worry about." She said, probably noticing the expression on my face.

Tiffany smiled. "Yeah. In fact, I'm sure you're gonna be happy once we show you our little...'surprise'."

I looked at her. "Really?"

Tiffany nodded. "Yeah!"

"Trust us, Brittany. You're gonna be happy once you see _what_ we got you." Said Scarlett.

I laughed vaguely. "Well, if you guys say so..."

Tiffany smiled. "We're positive."

I smiled. "Anyway, where's Paula?"

"Oh, she went to get your 'surprise'." Answered Chantelle.

"Yeah. But don't worry, she'll be back soon." Said Scarlett.

* * *

><p><strong>Alvin's POV<strong>

I was out in the courtyard with my friends, who as usual, were fooling around and talking about girls and all that kind of stuff. I was sitting at one of the tables, trying to block out all the perverted stuff my friends were saying, and trying to focus my attention on my phone. For the past days, I've done nothing but stare at my phone, reading through all the messages Brittany has sent me.

Don't get me wrong, but I felt like shit. I can't even explain how much I hate myself for not returning any of Brittany's phone calls or messages, because honestly, there's nothing I want more than to hear her voice and to see her again.

But there was a reason to why I can't call her back - and I'm not happy about it. But I just can't. And I hate myself for listening to that, instead of listening to what I really want...

I sighed as I read one of her text messages that she sent me yesterday night.

_Alvin, call me as soon as you see this, please? I miss you._

But I suddenly snapped back into reality when I felt someone lightly smack the back of my head. I looked up and said, "What the hell was that for?"

One of my best friends, Zachary, laughed and said, "You were staring off into space. We thought you were dead."

I rolled my eyes as one of my other friends, Xavier, said, "Dude, you've been spacing out all week."

"Whatever." I muttered.

But before anything else could happen, my other friend, Damian, looked past my shoulder and said, "Uh oh."

"What?" I asked, before turning around.

And once I saw who was coming our way, I turned back around and cursed under my breath. The one girl that I wanted to avoid for the rest of my life, was coming here. I don't know why, but after she and my other best friend, Logan, broke up, we all wanted to do nothing with this girl.

But after she broke up with Logan, she's been setting her sights on me. I mean, sure, we've had a bit of history together, but barely! But for a year now, she's been wanting to get with me, but I've clearly told her that I don't want to date her. But being the girl that she is, she doesn't listen, and she always goes for what she wants.

"Yo, Logan. Ex-girlfriend, coming this way." Damian said.

Logan shot him a bad look. "Shut up. And besides, she wants Alvin now."

I looked at him and stuck my middle finger up.

"Hey boys." I heard Paula say, once she came up to us.

"Well, look who it is." Zachary teased, looking up at her. "But the boys locker room is that way. I heard that you've got your sights on the entire soccer team now."

I turned around to look at Paula's reaction, and laughed to myself when I saw her roll her eyes. Yeah, this girl, Paula Nealen is the most popular girl in the school. She's that typical 'Daddy's girl'. And as you may have already guessed, she and Logan have been dating before Logan dumped her. And now, Paula wants to be with me. Ever since we _kinda _went out, she thinks that I like her back.

But no. Going out with her has been my biggest mistake.

Zachary laughed. "We're just kidding, Paula. So what's up?"

Paula crossed her arms over her chest and looked at us. "I'm here to talk to Alvin, actually."

I put both of my hands out in defence and said, "Whoa, okay, how many times do I have to tell you that I don't want to go out with you?"

"Yeah, I mean, you already dated Logan, and we all know how that relationship ended up." Xavier smirked.

Logan just looked at him in disbelief.

"It's not that." Paula scoffed, before smiling at me mischievously. "But I have something that I'm sure you'd want to see, Alvin."

My friends behind me snickered, while I rolled my eyes. "Well, whatever it is, I'm not interested." I said.

"Trust me, you will be." Paula said.

I eyed her. "Yeah? Then what is it?"

"Come with me, and you'll see." Paula said.

I sighed. "Paula, if this is one of your little ideas to get me to date you, then-"

"Just come with me." Paula said.

I sighed before looking over at my friends, who just simply stared back. I looked back at Paula and said, "Fine. But just in case you're trying to do something I don't want you to, the rest of the guys have to come."

Paula shrugged. "Okay then."

I rolled my eyes before looking back at my friends. "Let's go."

I saw Paula smile before we all started to make our way back across the field. But before we could reach the end, Paula stopped us and turned around to look at us.

"You boys wait right here. Alvin needs to see this - alone." Paula said, and before any one of us could answer her, she pulled me by the arm and we began to walk towards the other end of the field.

I pulled my arm out of her grasp and said, "Okay, what the hell is going on?"

Paula turned to me and said, "Well, Tiffany, Scarlett, Chantelle and I recently met someone, and sources tell us that you two know each other well - _Really_ well."

I scoffed. "Sources? Like who?"

Paula broke her gaze from me and kept her eyes straight on the field. "You'll see."

We soon arrived at the bleachers, where I heard faint voices. The voices were gradually becoming clearer as we became closer, and I soon recognized Tiffany's voice. I've known Tiffany, Scarlett, Chantelle and Paula for years, and we've all become friends, besides the fact that Paula wants to interfere with my life. But right when we arrived at the bleachers, I soon realized why Paula brought me here.

I looked at Paula, who had a dark grin on her face.

I looked back at the bleachers, and there, sitting with the rest of the girls, was Brittany.

* * *

><p><strong>Brittany's POV<strong>

Tiffany, Chantelle, Scarlett and I were all talking as we waited for Paula to come back. I laughed as I listened to Chantelle's story about what happened to her in Math class this morning. But right in the middle of the conversation, I heard Tiffany gasp, ending the entire conversation. I looked at her, only to see her staring past my shoulder. Scarlett and Chantelle fell silent as well.

I turned around, and once I saw Paula standing at the bottom of the bleachers, and once I saw who was standing there with her, I felt my entire body go numb.

I wasn't sure why I felt all my bones turn to jelly. Was it because I couldn't believe who was standing there? Or was it because I was happy to see him again, after all this time? Or was it the complete opposite? Did I suddenly turn numb due to the fact that I am so angry at him for not returning any of my calls?

But that was the least of my concerns now. All I know now is that my boyfriend is standing just a few feet away from me.

I saw Paula smile at me. "Brittany, you know Alvin, don't you?" She asked.

I couldn't find the right words to say for a moment. Alvin, on the other hand, just looked at me. I wish I could read his mind. Is he happy that he's seeing me again? Or is he just shocked? I waited for him to say something, but once again, Paula spoke up.

She turned to Alvin and said, "I told you you'd be surprised."

Alvin turned to her, then back to me.

"Surprise!" Tiffany said.

I looked at them. "You guys know Alvin?"

Chantelle nodded before she gently nudged me. "Brittany, didn't you say that you and Alvin haven't seen each other all week?"

I gulped hard. "Yeah, but-"

"Then why don't you say hi!" Chantelle said.

"Yeah! I mean, this is your surprise! We wanted to bring you guys together! Don't you miss him?" Tiffany said.

"I-I do, but-" I started.

"We wanted to surprise you by letting you know that Alvin goes to this school!" Scarlett exclaimed.

I looked at her, then back at Alvin. I slowly got out of my seat, carefully stepped down the bleachers, and walked over to him. He smiled at me once I got to him. I don't know why, but it felt kinda weird to be around him again. Usually, Alvin and I couldn't keep our hands off of each other, but now, I felt sort of distant from him.

"Alvin." I said.

When I said his name, I didn't sound too excited. I didn't feel excited either. I mean, don't get me wrong, but I am happy to see him again, but I just don't know how to react. Just like I mentioned, my feelings are just twisted up in a ball right now. I know I should be feeling happy. I mean, he's my boyfriend!

"Hey." He said softly.

"What are you doing here?" I asked gently.

He smiled and said, "I should be asking you the same thing."

I laughed gently. "I go to this school now."

And that's when Alvin froze. The smile on his face disappeared. And once I saw that, I felt kind of...hurt.

"You...what?" He asked.

But before I could say anything, Paula jumped in. She gasped and said, "You didn't know, Alvin? Your girlfriend goes here! She's the new student everyone is talking about!"

Alvin looked at her before looking back at me. "Britt, why didn't you tell me you were going here?" He asked me.

I was speechless for a few seconds. "You left for Arizona before I could even tell you." I said.

He blinked once, still keeping a hard gaze on me. "Really?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. I was going to tell you, but you already left for your trip and I couldn't contact you. That's why I tried calling you all week. Why didn't you call back?"

Alvin sighed. He said nothing for a few seconds before saying, "Look, it's hard to explain but-"

"But what?" I asked, starting to feel a bit frustrated.

Alvin looked at Paula, then at Tiffany, Chantelle and Scarlett, who still sitting on the bleachers, before looking back at me. As of now, I don't care if any of my friends overhear our conversation. All I wanted out of Alvin was an explanation.

Alvin sighed again. "I'll tell you later." He said, lowering his voice.

I looked at him in disbelief. "Why? Alvin, you had an entire week to call me back."

"I'll tell you in private." He said.

"Why can't you tell me now?" I snapped.

Alvin groaned to himself. He looked at me and said, "Not now, alright? I'll tell you later."

"Why wait for later?" I argued back, lowering my voice.

"Because Brittany, this is only between you and me. Nobody else." He said.

I scoffed. "Wow. It's funny how you're suddenly acknowledging me now, after all this time."

He glared at me sceptically. Alvin said nothing for a moment before unexpectedly pulling me by the arm, and pulling us into a secluded place out of earshot of everyone else. He let go of me, and looked into my eyes for a couple of seconds. He sighed deeply and pulled me into a hug. The hug took me into a bit of a shock, but I reluctantly wrapped my arms around his waist before pulling back.

But the thing that I'm confused about is why he had to hug me in private? Like, couldn't he have done that in front of my friends?

He pulled away and smiled at me. "Can we not fight? Please?" He whispered.

I smiled weakly before timidly crossing my arms over my chest. I looked at him for a few seconds, and sighed. There's nothing more I wanted to do than to kiss him and tell him how much I missed him, but there was something inside of me that was holding me back. But I still managed to keep a smile on my face. I didn't want to ruin this moment, but as of now, I was beginning to feel hesitant about everything.

"Alvin, I just want to know why you didn't call me back." I said gently.

"I was busy." He said.

I frowned. "Busy enough to ignore my calls all week?" I asked.

"No, Britt. It's just...I didn't have time." Alvin said.

When he said that, I felt hurt on the inside. It was as if he was saying that he didn't have time for me. But as much as it hurt my feelings when he said that, I decided not to show it. I decided to just leave that whole topic alone. The important thing now is that I'm with Alvin again, after a whole week of separation.

I sighed and looked to the ground. "So, how are you?" I asked, wanting to break this weird silence between us.

"I'm fine." He said. "I can't believe you go to this school."

I looked at him. "Is that a bad thing?"

He looked at me, shocked, before shaking his head. "What? No, of course it isn't Brittany. I mean, we get to see each other everyday again, right?"

I sighed. "I guess."

More awkward silence swept between the two of us. I hated this feeling. The atmosphere around me and Alvin seemed so different. It wasn't at all like the lovey-dovey stuff we've been showing towards each other all Summer. It was totally different. I hated how awkward things seemed now. And it wasn't like we broke up! Alvin and I are still together. But after being apart from each other for more than a week, he just seems so...far away.

"I missed you." He said quietly.

I wanted to ask him why he didn't call me back if he missed me so much, but again, I know I'm going to feel bad if I did. I sighed and smiled at him. "I missed you too."

"So, how are you finding the school so far?" He asked.

I shrugged. "It's nice. Tiffany and the rest of the girls have been really nice."

He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Even Paula?"

I looked at him. "Well, yeah..."

He sighed. "Brittany, I'm fine with you being friends with Tiffany, Scarlett and Chantelle but I don't want you to be getting close with them - Especially with Paula."

I looked at him in disbelief, wondering why he said that. "Why?" I asked.

"Because I said so, alright?" He said.

"Who the hell made you the boss of me?" I snapped.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not trying to be the boss of you, Brittany, but you know how protective I am of you. But trust me, I've known them for years and I don't want you to be involved with anything that has to do with them."

To be honest, I felt a bit insulted. I mean, sure Paula may have been a snob at times, but Tiffany already told me the reasons of Paula's doings. And when Alvin told me not to trust them, well, it was weird because Tiffany, Scarlett and Chantelle are the sweetest girls I have met, and I actually do trust them. Just because he's known them for years, doesn't mean that he can judge my friends like that.

And besides, they were there for me when all Alvin could do was ignore my phone calls.

"Are you mad at me?" He asked me suddenly.

I didn't want to answer him at first, but I knew I had to. I looked away and whispered, "Yeah."

"Britt, I'm sorry for not returning any of your calls. I wasn't trying to ignore you, I swear." He said.

"Then why didn't you call back? Didn't you even acknowledge the fact that we haven't seen each other all week? I thought you missed me." I said.

"I did! Brittany, trust me, I did miss you. But..." He trailed off.

I looked back at him. "But what, Alvin?"

He said nothing for a long time. "Can I come over to your place to explain? I need to talk to you in private."

I scoffed. "Oh, so _now_ you want to come over."

"Brittany, don't act like this. Don't act as if I don't care about you." Alvin said.

"Well it sure seems like it." I muttered.

"But I _do_ care about you. You _know_ that you mean everything to me, right?" He asked me.

I sighed, and nodded.

"But I really need to talk to you about why I didn't call you back." He said.

I said nothing.

Alvin sighed again. "Britt, if it makes you feel better, I'll admit that I was a jerk for not returning any of your phone calls or text messages. I'm sorry, alright? If I have to say sorry a trillion times, just to prove to you how sorry I am, I'll do it."

I couldn't help but smile. No matter how heated mine and Alvin's fights could be, he could always find a way to make me smile. That's one of the things I absolutely hated, and loved about him.

But before one of us could speak again, Tiffany, Chantelle, Scarlett and Paula appeared around the corner, along with 4 other boys who were trailing behind them. I looked at the boys and I quickly assumed that they're friends of Alvin.

"Hey guys." Tiffany said.

Alvin slightly smiled. "Hi." He said.

"Well...aren't you gonna introduce Brittany to your friends?" Asked Chantelle.

Alvin looked at her before turning to me. "Brittany, these are my friends, Zachary, Xavier, Damian and Logan." He said, a bit too quickly, as if he was nervous, or as if he wanted to get over it as soon as possible.

But before I could say hello to the boys, the boy with dark brown hair, Zachary, spoke up and said, "Whoa, Alvin. Who's this?"

I looked at Alvin, hoping that he would introduce me as his girlfriend, but I frowned when I saw that Alvin said nothing - nothing at all.

"We didn't know you had a girlfriend!" Said Xavier, the boy with the dark blonde hair.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Asked the other boy, Damian.

Paula spoke up, and once I looked at her, I saw that she had a taunting smile on her face. "Yeah, Alvin. Why didn't you tell them?" She asked.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Tiffany, Chantelle and Scarlett exchange disproving looks as they frowned at Paula.

"Paula, stop it." Scarlett said.

Paula looked at her. "What? I'm just asking Alvin why he didn't tell any of his friends about Brittany yet."

Honestly, I didn't mind the fact that Alvin didn't tell any of his friends about me yet. I mean, I didn't tell my friends about Alvin until today. But now, I want him to tell them about me. I mean, that's what a boyfriend should do, right?

The other boy, Logan, looked at Alvin and said, "Dude, you never told us you had a girlfriend."

"I don't." Alvin said abruptly.

I felt my heart hit the ground. I looked at him, feeling my heart twist in all directions as soon as he said that. What did he just say? I wanted to tell myself that I heard differently, but I am a trillion percent sure that I heard him say 'I don't'. And hearing him say that, and _knowing_ that he said that, well, it just killed me. I didn't know what to say, or what to feel.

Alvin gulped, clearly trying to avoid my gaze. I looked at Tiffany, Chantelle and Scarlett, who just stood there, shocked.

"Then who's this?" Logan asked, motioning towards me.

"This...this is just my friend." Alvin said, his voice sounding more uneasy as he spoke.

I looked at Alvin, unable to believe what he just called me. His FRIEND? Is that what he thinks of me? What is he doing? Is he too afraid to call me his girlfriend in front of everyone? But the most important thing was, why isn't he sticking up for me? I mean, just moments ago, before everyone else came and joined the conversation, Alvin was telling me he missed me and everything! But now, he's telling everyone that I'm NOT his girlfriend?

The feeling of hearing the one you love, call you nothing more than his 'friend' - especially in front of his friends and my friends - wasn't just embarrassing and heartbreaking, but it felt as if he ripped my heart out of my chest, and simply threw it out the window.

Was our relationship a joke to him?

Doesn't our relationship mean anything to him?

His _friend_...

And before I knew it, I pushed Alvin aside, and I ran away. I ran and ran, suddenly feeling hot tears stream down the sides of my face. I heard my friends call my name from behind, but I couldn't care less. I didn't turn back, and I continued to run.

Words can't even describe how hurt I am right now. How can Alvin do that? How can he _say_ that? How can he can that about me?

It was as if he couldn't admit he loved me. But why?

I stopped running and realized that my face was wet with tears. This is what I feared most. This is what Miss Miller feared the most. Miss Miller always told us to be careful of the boys we're around because once we get serious with one of them, they'll play you until they break your heart.

All this time, I never listened to my mother, because deep in my heart, I knew that Alvin would never hurt me.

I loved him, I trusted him. I fought with my own mother just to stick up for him.

But here I am, realizing that it was all a game for him, and that Miss Miller was right all along. As much as it killed me to admit it, but Miss Miller was right. First loves don't last, especially if you're quick to fall deeply in love with him. I wanted to tell myself that it was all a dream, but I can't. The more I thought about it, the deeper it killed me on the inside.

It was as if Alvin was just putting words into my head; Telling me he loved me, and me, telling him that I loved him...

* * *

><p><strong>Oh no...<strong>

**What do you guys think is the REAL reason to why Alvin didn't call Brittany back?**

**But more importantly...**

**WHY DIDN'T ALVIN ADMIT THAT BRITTANY IS HIS GIRLFRIEND? I mean, the poor girl is now heartbroken :(**

**And what do you guys think of Paula? Do you guys trust her?**

**Anyway, thanks so much for reading! I can't wait to read what you guys thought of this chapter, so PLEASE PLEASE review! :) **


	13. Reputations, humiliations and betrayal

**"Falling in love is awfully simple, but falling out of love is simply awful." -Anonymous.**

**...**

**Alvin's POV**

I watched as Brittany ran away, feeling a light bruise beginning to form on my chest where she pushed me. The moment I saw her disappear out of sight, I felt a sickening plunge in my stomach. The sense of reality suddenly slapped me in the face, making me realize what I just did - what I caused. Deep inside, I knew what I did was wrong. I hurt the one girl that means everything to me, the girl that I would do anything for - the girl I love.

What the hell did I just do?

The words were pounding inside my head. The words I said to her - the words I said in front of our friends...Not only did it embarrass her, but it hurt her. And the fact that I - ME of all people - did this to her, made me feel something on the inside that I have never felt before. It was like a sense of self hatred, only even more. Knowing that I had done something I didn't mean to do, just because I wanted to save myself...

I felt like I had just lost someone.

I wasn't afraid to admit this anymore, but this feeling of hurt and regret that was pounding through my body was more than words can ever describe. Did I seriously just break up with Brittany? Did I really say what I just said? Like I mentioned, I knew what I did was wrong. And I hated myself - absolutely hated myself - for doing this to her.

But the thing that made me hate myself the most was the fact that I couldn't admit to my friends that she was my girlfriend. I knew I should have, but there was a reason to why I can't...It's a reason I'm not proud of, and I wish there was a way that I could undo it all.

I knew I had already hurt her for avoiding her calls, and it hurt me, personally, to know that I was reason of making Brittany upset. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to make her upset. Honestly, before all of this, I _was_ planning on visiting her after school to make up for all the lost time we had lost over the past week. But after everything that happened, I didn't know what to do anymore.

"Okay, what just happened?" I heard Zachary say.

I looked over at my friends, along with Tiffany, Scarlett, Chantelle and Paula. They all looked at me, as if they were waiting for me to say something. But what can I say? What else was there left to say? I hurt my girlfriend - the girl I haven't seen in over a week - right in front of everyone. I was such a jerk for ignoring Brittany's calls all week, even though every bone in my body was telling me to call her back.

I knew they wanted an explanation, but like I said, I didn't know what to say.

Tiffany looked at me. "Alvin, what the hell was that for?" She exclaimed.

I gulped. "I...I don't know."

"Clearly you don't! I mean, look at what you did to Brittany!" Scarlett said.

But before I could answer, Damian spoke up. "Wait, what's going on? Who was that girl?"

Chantelle shot me a bad look and said, "Yeah Alvin. Aren't you gonna tell them about your _friend_?"

I groaned as I looked at the girls. "Okay, first of all, I don't get why you girls are making such a big deal out of this? I-"

Tiffany sighed exasperatedly. "Why? Because Brittany's our friend! Unlike you, we care about her!"

"Who said I didn't care about her?" I snapped.

"Well you obviously don't, seeing as what you just did to her!" Chantelle said.

"How the hell do you have the balls to call her your 'friend' when she's your girlfriend? And you had the nerves to say that in front of her face? That was such a dick move, Alvin." Scarlett said, looking at me.

I looked at the girls and said, "Look, do you think I'm proud of what I've done? Because I'm not. But can-"

"Then why did you hurt Brittany like that? We brought you over here because Brittany has been telling us how much she's missed you! And that's how you repay her?" Tiffany asked me.

"Wait, Alvin, so she _is_ your girlfriend?" Logan asked, before I could even say anything.

I said nothing at first. It wasn't like I was embarrassed or anything, but as of now, I'm not even sure Brittany is still my girlfriend, after what I've done. As much as it scared me to think so, I'm not even sure if we're together anymore. I sighed and ran a finger through my hair. I wasn't just frustrated at myself, but I was pissed. The girls were right. I put my ego in front of me, causing me to become an insensitive jerk to the girl I loved the most.

"Yeah." I said.

"Then why didn't you say so?" Xavier asked me.

I looked at all of them, asking myself the same thing. But deep down inside of me, I knew why. My friends probably knew why too...and like I mentioned before, it's a reason I wish I could get out of, but again, I can't. I knew I had to talk to Brittany about this. Not only did I need to apologize, but I had to explain the reason to why I wasn't able to call her my girlfriend in public.

I sighed as I looked at them. "You guys know."

But before any of them could speak up, Tiffany jumped in yet again. "Alvin, if this is about keeping your bad boy reputation up, then you better stop. Brittany is your girlfriend! You should know better than to hurt her!"

I froze after hearing what Tiffany had to say. All the reasons came crashing down on me because I knew that she was right. This was the whole reason to why I didn't call Brittany my girlfriend.

All my life, I've been labelled as the 'bad boy' and the 'heartbreaker'. You know, those types of boys that every girl chases. And to be brutally honest, I've had fun with it all my life. I loved the feeling of knowing that every girl wanting to have you, but never giving them the chance. It boosted my ego up a trillion percent. I've never ever focused on girls because honestly, I wanted my reputation to last. It was like a game to me. I had girls chasing after me, but I would 'break their hearts' whenever I told them I wasn't interested. People see me as a 'player'. It was that sense of pride and that feeling of being egotistical in the right ways. Like I've said, I've had my fun, but now, I didn't want to be 'that guy' anymore.

Because everything changed after I met Brittany.

She's nothing like all the other girls. She's way beyond that, and my feelings for her are real. I never would have thought that I would fall in love with someone over the Summer, but I did. I fell in love with Brittany the moment I met her, and I love her more than words can ever describe. But _because_ of the fact that I want to keep up this stupid reputation, I lost her. I don't know what I was thinking, but I know that I regret it. Not only because I made a fool out of her, but because of the fact that I hurt her.

And ever since I met her, I felt that I totally changed as a person. With every day I spent with her last Summer, I felt like a new person. I felt like I didn't have to hide, or that I didn't have to impress her or anything. In fact, when we first met, she didn't even seem all that interested in me, which I love because I know that Brittany and I fell in love with each other for all the right reasons.

Unlike all the other girls who I've met, Brittany is different in every single way. That's why I love her. Not only has she changed me as a person, but she has made me realize things about myself that I would have never thought. And the fact that I threw it all away...

Because of my stupidity, because of the fact that I wanted to keep my reputation, I hurt Brittany by being unable to admit that she's my girlfriend. The last thing I wanted was to lose her. It may just be words, but as I proved, and as Brittany proved, words can be worth more than you ever know. I didn't want Brittany to think that I actually meant what I said, but I had to explain to her that it was just a careless mistake that came out of my mouth.

But knowing Brittany, an explanation and an apology would never be enough.

I know that this is my fault, and there is no one else here to blame but myself. My friends know who I am. I mean, I've know Zachary, Logan, Damian and Xavier all my life. But they also know about this whole 'reputation' crap. _That's_ why I didn't admit to them that Brittany was my girlfriend. They know who I am. They know what I'm labelled as in this school. The 'bad boy'...the 'heartbreaker'...the 'boy that every girl wants to have'...

No, that's not me anymore. Like I said, after meeting Brittany, keeping my old image as the school's 'player' is the last thing on my mind.

And besides, if they were really my friends, they would understand.

Zach spoke up. "Alvin, is it?" He asked, referring to what Tiffany said.

I sighed. "I don't know, okay? It...it just came out of my mouth but I didn't mean it."

"But why did you say it?" Scarlett asked.

I shook my head. "It was a stupid mistake."

"You know, Brittany will never forgive you." Tiffany said quietly.

I looked at her, knowing that what she said was probably true. My biggest fear was losing Brittany, but after what happened today, I know that she will probably never ever forgive me. I gulped, but said nothing at all.

"Alvin, we never knew you had a girlfriend." Said Damian. "Why didn't you tell us?"

I looked at him. "Because I knew something like this would happen. I knew that once I _did_ tell you guys about Brittany..." I sighed, trailing off, unable to finish.

"You do know that no matter what, we'll always have your back." Said Xavier.

I said nothing. I didn't agree with what he said, because I knew that if I had a chance to redo the past, and if I _did_ get a chance to tell them about Brittany, they would just treat it like a joke. That's another reason to why I never told them about my relationship with Brittany. As my friends, they would understand. I mean, when Logan dated Paula, we were all there for him. But ever since Logan dumped her, girls and dating were the last things we wanted to get involved with.

It wasn't as if I kept Brittany like a secret, but I was afraid that the past would happen again. I didn't want to tell them about Brittany because I was afraid that she would somehow get hurt. I didn't want to lose Brittany because of the way my friends were.

But now, it seems as if I _did_ lose her over that exact reason...

"Just because you're the school's heartthrob, Alvin, doesn't mean you can hurt someone, especially in you're in a relationship with them." Tiffany said.

"You don't think I know that, Tiff?" I snapped, looking at her. "Do you think I ever meant to hurt Brittany? I didn't mean what I said to her earlier. I don't know why I said that, but I didn't mean it."

"Then if you really didn't mean it, then go talk to her." Tiffany said.

I didn't say anything at first. Of course I wanted to talk to her. I wanted to explain everything to her, but will she forgive me over a stupid excuse like the one I have? No, of course she wouldn't. I didn't want Brittany to think that our entire relationship was just a fling, because it wasn't. It was everything but that. But I just don't know how I'll ever explain it to her truthfully, without sounding like a complete asshole.

Logan sighed. "Alvin, look, if it was because of us, then we're sorry. We know we could be complete jerks sometimes, but-"

"It's fine." I said, cutting him off. I sighed and said, "I just need to talk to her."

Complete silence swept over all of us, until I suddenly realized that Zachary, Damian, Logan, Xavier, Tiffany, Chantelle, Scarlett and I weren't the only ones here. Paula has been standing here the entire time, without saying anything at all. I knew better than to say anything to her because I _knew_ this is what she wanted. This was her entire plan to get me away from Brittany.

All because she wanted to date me, she had to ruin mine and Brittany's relationship in the worst way possible. It's incredible how stupid one person could be, wanting to ruin a relationship because she couldn't get what she wanted, but like I mentioned, there was no point in talking to her. I didn't want her to get any more amused than she probably already is.

I tried holding myself back, but as much as I wanted to keep my mouth shut, I just couldn't.

I looked over at Paula. "Are you happy now?"

She looked at me. "What?"

"Don't give me that bullshit, Paula. You knew this would happen. You _wanted _this to happen because you knew I was with Brittany. This is one of your stupid ideas to get me to go out with you, isn't it?" I asked, looking at her.

She scoffed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Right. It just shows how much of a bitch you really are." I said.

Paula looked at me, almost too innocently, and said, "Alvin, I honestly don't know-"

"Whatever. But I hope you realized what you did. Because of you, Brittany will probably never want to speak to me ever again." I shot. And without saying another word, I walked away from all of them, wanting to be alone. I walked out of the courtyard, through the school, out the parking lot until I got to my car.

I slammed the door of my car with so much force, I'm surprised it didn't break. I just sat here for who knows how long, but there was only one thing that was on my mind. I told myself to go over to Brittany's house now, but again, I knew today wasn't a good time. I mean, how am I gonna explain everything? I knew I had to talk to her, and apologize for every damn thing I did that hurt her today. I knew I had to do something before it was too late.

* * *

><p><strong>Brittany's POV.<strong>

I ran all the way home, trying so hard to ignore the stinging pain in my feet. The moment I arrived back home, I slammed the door behind me, ran up the stairs, ran into my bedroom, fell onto my bed and buried myself under my blankets. My eyes felt like they were red and puffy, and the inside of my chest ached with a feeling I have never felt before.

The events that happened to me today burned deep inside my mind. What the hell just happened?

This was a week I was not expecting. I haven't seen my boyfriend all week, and the moment I finally see him again, all hell breaks loose. It hurts me to the bone to remember what just happened. The fresh memory of Alvin saying that he doesn't have a girlfriend, just killed me. This sickening feeling of reminiscing everything that happened between me and Alvin this Summer, and thinking about now, hurt me more than ever. It was as if every hug, every kiss, and every 'I love you' was nothing but a joke. It was as if everything that Alvin and I had just simply melted away...

I cried deeply into my pillow. I have never felt this way before - heartbroken, torn, betrayed...

"Brittany? It's us. Can we come in?" I suddenly heard Jeanette's voice come from the other side of my bedroom door.

"Go away!" I cried, sounding childish.

"Britt, please. What's wrong?" I heard Eleanor's voice call.

"I said go away! I wanna be alone." I snapped, feeling hot tears roll down my flushed cheeks.

But as usual, my sisters didn't listen to me. I heard the door creak open, and I heard my sisters walk in. I uncovered myself from my blanket and looked at them, unable to say anything. They looked at me, looking confused and concerned at the same time. They slowly made their way over to me and sat on my bed. At first, they said nothing, probably wondering what has gotten into me all of a sudden, but after a few more moments, they finally spoke up.

"Are you okay?" Eleanor asked me quietly.

I looked at her through tear filled eyes. "Does it look like I'm okay?" I whispered hoarsely.

"What happened?" Jeanette asked gently.

I just shook my head, unable to speak.

Eleanor put her hand on my shoulder, the same time I squeezed my eyes shut, releasing hot tears. Eleanor sighed deeply and said, "Boy trouble?"

I scoffed, suddenly feeling all bitter on the inside. It surprised me that she instantly knew, but again, it was pretty obvious that I really was having relationship problems.

"Is it about Alvin?" Eleanor asked softly.

The moment I heard his name, I sat up in my bed, trying to untangle myself from my blankets, wiped the tears from my face and said, "_Never_ mention his name in front of me. Never mention his name ever again."

My sisters exchanged surprised glances at each other before looking back at me. I knew they were surprised. I mean, they know how much Alvin and I love each other. In fact, they often joke that we love each other too much. And now, after hearing the amount of hatred in my voice, was something they probably wouldn't expect - ever. Believe me, this wasn't what I wanted. Being heartbroken, especially by someone I love, wasn't something I would expect either.

But it happened. And it _kills_ me to know that it did.

"Britt, what happened? Did you guys fight?" Jeanette asked.

I scoffed once more, trying to choke back tears. "I don't want to talk about him."

I'm sure Jeanette and Eleanor could see how serious and how hurt I was, because they said nothing after that. We all just sat here for a few moments, but inside my mind, there was nothing but heartbreak and disbelief that was controlling me. It was as if I couldn't get those words out of my head. All that Alvin said was literally replaying over and over again, and the pain I felt right in that moment, seemed to be increasing more each second.

"Did he break up with you?" Eleanor asked, after a long, long period of silence.

And right when my sister said that, I broke into tears.

That one statement literally send chills down my body, because deep inside, I was wondering the same thing. I knew that a part of me will be scarred forever by the words that Alvin said, and that it would take me a very long time before I could look at him the same again, but despite that, I know that I may never forgive him. As much as it murdered me to think so, but I may never want to talk to him again.

But I knew I had to. There was still something in me that tells me that I can never leave him.

But he already hurt me too much. And once was enough.

I closed my eyes. "I don't know..."

Jeanette gasped. "He did?"

I looked at my sister and said, "I don't know if he broke up with me, or if I broke up with him." I cried.

"You don't have to tell us anything if you don't want to, Britt, but if you need somebody to talk to, me and Eleanor are here." Jeanette whispered.

I looked at them and sighed. I was truly the luckiest girl alive to have the best sisters ever, but this was something that I wasn't ready to tell them. Just thinking about explaining what happened today made me cringe on the inside.

I closed my eyes again and whispered, "I know. But I don't want to talk about Alvin anymore. He's not worth my time anymore."

My sisters sighed, but said nothing.

I raised my head to look at them and hoarsely said, "But all I know now is that I was wrong. Wrong about everything - wrong about him. Miss Miller was right all along. Falling in love too quickly has been the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life - and it just so happened to be with _him_. I fell in love with him, thinking that he was really the one, when all along, he's been nothing but a liar."

Jeanette and Eleanor looked at me without saying a word, looking equally as shocked to hear the words that were coming out of my mouth.

"I'm so stupid for actually thinking he cared about me." I scoffed, feeling new, hot tears run down my face.

"Brittany, what...what happened?" Eleanor asked.

I sighed and gulped. I knew I should tell them. Despite how badly I wanted to keep it in, I knew it would make everything worse. My sisters are the only people whom I tell everything to. They're the only people who would understand. But I was scared that once I do tell them, they're going to hate Alvin and look at him differently. Even though Alvin did what he did, I didn't want my sisters to hate on him. I didn't want anybody to hate him at all.

As my heart began to pound within my chest, I finally told them. I told them everything, everything from that moment when Alvin called me nothing more than his 'friend', especially with everyone surrounding us. I told my sisters how embarrassing and betrayed I was, wondering why the boy I love the most, would do something as cruel as that. As each word came out of my mouth, another piece of my heart would break.

"Wait, what?" Jeanette gasped, after I was done talking.

"I don't know what to do anymore. I don't know why he would say that to me." I cried.

"Britt, maybe he didn't mean it." Eleanor said softly.

I looked at her. "He _did_ mean it, Elle. You should of _heard_ the way he said it." I whispered.

"Maybe he was nervous, since he was around his friends and stuff." Eleanor said.

I shook my head. "Why would he be nervous? There's no reason to be nervous. It was as if he didn't want to be seen with me - like he was embarrassed that he had a girlfriend." I cried.

"That's so weird though. Knowing Alvin, I know that he would never do something like that to you." Eleanor said.

Jeanette sighed. "I agree. That doesn't seem like something Alvin would do to you though, Brittany. He loves you too much."

I shook my head. "But it happened, Jeanette. I don't know why he would do that, but it happened." I said, feeling my heart sink even more.

"Maybe he just wasn't ready to tell his friends about you. Maybe Alvin wanted to keep your guys' relationship a secret before he wanted to tell his friends." Jeanette said.

At first, I said nothing. What Jeanette said sounded reasonable, and it did sound like a possible answer. But again, even if he did want to keep our relationship a secret for a bit longer, why did he have to hide it the way he did? Why did he have to hurt me using words? There was a part of me on the inside, trying to tell myself that what Alvin said to me wasn't true. But at the same time, the words kept on replaying on inside my head.

"Did you talk to him about it?" Eleanor asked me.

I shook my head. "No. I ran away right after he said that."

"I'm sure he wants to talk to you about it, Brittany. I'm sure he feels terrible about what he did." Eleanor said.

"Yeah. And don't think that Alvin doesn't care about you, because we know he does. " Jeanette said.

"But what did he say that to me, then? If he really does care about me, why would he humiliate me like that?" I whispered, trying to hold back tears.

My sisters didn't say anything at first until Eleanor finally sighed and said, "I don't know, Britt. I mean, none of us do. But if I were you, I'd go and talk to him. I'm sure Alvin regrets what he did."

I looked away. "But nothing will ever change what happened. Even if he apologizes a hundred times, he still did what he did. Not only did he humiliate me in front of all his friends, but he showed that he clearly can't stick up for me."

"No, Britt, don't think that." Jeanette said. "Trust us, we know how much you mean to Alvin, and we know that _you_ know too."

And it was true. Behind all the pain that I am feeling right now, I still know how much I mean to Alvin, and how much he still means to me. But it hurts to know that all my feelings for him are swimming inside of me, especially after what happened today.

"I know." I whispered.

"Are you two still together?" Jeanette asked.

I closed my eyes. "I don't know."

Awkward silence swept between me and my sisters for the longest time. I tried so hard not to think about Alvin, and what he was doing now, what he was thinking, where he is at this very moment, and most importantly, if he was thinking about me. But I couldn't keep my mind off of him. As much as I tried, all I could think about is him.

"Do you still want to be with him?" Asked Jeanette.

I took a deep breath, but gently said, "Of course I do. He's the only person I want to be with, but...but after what happened today, I'm not so sure anymore. There's nothing more I want to do right now than to talk to him, but at the same time, I don't want to see his face, or hear his voice. I want nothing to do with him right now. It's like, I either hate him, or love him. Either one or the other."

"How do you feel now?" Jeanette asked me.

I looked away and closed my eyes. "I hate him. I hate him for what he's done to me, but..." I trailed off, unable to find the voice to speak anymore.

"But you still love him, don't you." Eleanor whispered.

I looked up to meet my sisters' eyes. I gulped, feeling my heartbeat within my ears and finally whispered, "I will always love him, but as of now, I just want to forget about him."

* * *

><p><strong>Uh oh. Did Alvin and Brittany break up for good? Will Alvin be able to explain to Brittany that he never intended to hurt her? Will Brittany be able to forgive him? And does Paula have something to do with all of this?<strong>

**Thanks for reading, everyone! **

**PLEASE review :)**


	14. Talk to me

**"It's funny how a person can break your heart, and you can still love them with all the little pieces." - Anonymous **

**...**

The next day...

I woke up this morning, feeling absolutely crappy. I didn't want to do anything today. I didn't want to eat, I didn't want to get out of my bed, I didn't want to see nor talk to anybody at all. All I wanted to do was to stay in my bed and be alone. I wanted to avoid the entire world right now. I just wanted to isolate myself from everything because after what happened yesterday, I didn't know what to do.

But I knew I had to get up. I still have to get through an entire day of school today, and despite how much I didn't want to go, I knew I had no choice.

School was the one place I wanted to avoid right now. I wasn't in the mood to go to classes, nor was I in the mood to talk to my friends because I knew that they would bring up the events that happened yesterday. I mean, everyone saw it. They saw everything that happened between me and Alvin.

But the thing I wanted - and needed - to avoid the most was the boy who broke my heart in the first place.

I got out of bed, freshened myself up in the bathroom, and went downstairs for breakfast. Miss Miller already left for work, so it was just me and my sisters at the breakfast table as usual. When I sat down, they said nothing at first. Jeanette and Eleanor both know what I'm going through right now, and despite how much they tried to get me to feel a bit better, I asked them to just forget about the whole situation for now. The last thing I needed was to think about Alvin, or even hear his name in that matter.

As breakfast progresses, very little conversation was shared between us. Honestly, I felt bad. This was all about me, and I felt absolutely horrible that my mood was getting the best of me. But I appreciate my sisters' effort for keeping the conversations low. They knew I wasn't in the mood to talk today. After breakfast, we all got into my car, and drove to school, just in time before the first bell rang.

"Will you be alright today, Britt?" Eleanor asked me gently when we got to our lockers.

I sighed as I pulled my notebooks out of my locker and stuffed them into my bag. "I hope so."

"Just try not to think about him, okay?" Jeanette said before closing her locker shut.

I sighed deeply, looking at the ground. There was no way at all that I couldn't think about him. I've been thinking about Alvin for the past week and a half, and after what happened yesterday, he's literally the only thing I could think about.

"I'll try." I said quietly.

Jeanette sighed before pulling me into a hug. "We'll see you after school, alright?"

I smiled weakly as I looked at my sisters. I nodded and said, "Yeah, okay."

I made my way to my first class, which was English. But it was also the class that I have with Tiffany. Even though Tiffany is one of my really good friends, she was still one of the few people who witnessed what happened yesterday. And as much as I wanted to avoid the topic of what happened between me and Alvin, I knew that somehow, it would be brought up. Tiffany didn't realize I had entered the classroom so I quietly made my way over to my seat, and within the moment I sat down, she suddenly turned my way.

She gasped and said, "Brittany!" She exclaimed, before hugging me tightly. She pulled back and looked at me. "I'm so glad you came today! I wasn't sure if you would, after what happened yesterday..."

I sighed.

"The girls and I were so worried about you. Are you okay?" Tiffany asked me gently.

I just shrugged.

She frowned and said, "Look, the girls and I are _so so soooo_ sorry about what happened yesterday! We didn't know it would turn out like that! If we knew that would happen, we wouldn't have brought him over."

I shrugged again. "It's fine. It's not your fault." I said quietly.

"But we still feel super bad about it. I was gonna call you last night, but then I figured that you probably wanted to be alone or something." Tiffany said.

I smiled weakly and said, "No, it's fine. But thanks anyway."

Tiffany sighed. "Britt, look, Alvin feels really bad about what he said to you."

I felt something trigger inside of me when I heard Alvin's name. As of now, I really couldn't give a crap about what Alvin said. He hurt me and humilated me in front of his friends and my friends. I ran away, crying, and he still didn't run after me. It just shows how much of a 'boyfriend' he really is to me now, and it clearly shows that he doesn't care if I cry or not. The fact that he just let me run away like that, hurt me.

I shook my head. "It doesn't matter, Tiffany."

"But it does. Trust me, the moment you left yesterday, he felt really bad about it. He said he wanted to apologize to you and talk to you." Tiffany said.

I looked at her. "But he didn't. He didn't call me back, or even text me, saying that he was sorry." I fired.

Tiffany sighed. "He probably thought that you wanted to be alone as well."

I shook my head again. "But he knew that I needed him. He knew that I was crying because of him. But did he do something? No, he didn't." I said.

"He didn't know what to do. He felt so bad about what he did, that he wasn't sure if he should do something." Tiffany said.

"But he let me run away, Tiffany. If he really felt bad, he would have followed me!" I said.

Tiffany sighed. "We all talked to him afterwards. Even his friends did."

I looked at her. "What did you guys say?" I asked quietly.

She sighed once more. "We just asked him why he would do that. Trust me, Britt, I was pissed off at him for hurting you like that. But Alvin made it clear that he regrets what he did."

I rolled my eyes. "What difference does it make? He still did it."

Tiffany frowned. "Brittany, don't act like you hate him."

"It doesn't matter anymore, Tiff. I don't want to talk about him anymore. Can we please just drop the subject?" I asked, trying so hard to keep my anger inside of me.

Tiffany sighed deeply and finally said, "Okay."

"Thank you." I sighed.

But a minute later, Tiffany spoke up again and said, "Oh, and just to let you know, Paula won't be hanging out with us anymore."

I looked at her and said, "Why?"

"Well, Scarlett, Chantelle and I talked to her yesterday, and to make the story short, we just don't want to be around her. She's just someone we can't trust because..." Tiffany sighed and looked away, as if she didn't want to tell me, but then she finally said, "...Because we know that she's trying to take Alvin away from you. She wants to get him back."

At first, I couldn't believe what I just heard. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Tiffany looked at me. "Paula has always liked Alvin, and-"

"No, that's not what I meant." I said. "But what do you mean she wants to _get him back_? Were they together before?"

Tiffany bit her lip and sighed. "Well, not exactly..."

"Tiffany, what's going on?" I asked her.

Tiffany said nothing for a while, as if she was trying to think of a way to tell me. But after a few seconds, she sighed and said, "Well, Alvin and Paula were never together, if that's what you're thinking. They were never in a serious relationship, but they have gone out together before."

My mouth slightly dropped open, the same time I felt my heart fall to the pit of my stomach. I was starting to feel sick. Not only was I hearing this for the first time, but I was truly shocked, hurt, and betrayed. When Alvin and I first met, he told me I was the only girl he's gone out with. But now, I'm hearing that he _has_ gone out with somebody else? Are you kidding me right now? He has told me so many things, and I believed every single one of them. But now I'm asking myself if those were just lies...

I'm beginning to wonder how many more lies he has told me, and how many times I actually believed him...

"Wait, so Alvin dated her before?" I asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"Technically, they were never 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'..." Tiffany started. "But what they had was totally a one time thing."

I said nothing, feeling absolutely torn apart on the inside.

"But Brittany, that was _waaaay_ before he met you. Paula means nothing to Alvin compared to how he feels about you." Tiffany told me.

But in my mind, I knew that it was all total bullshit. I don't care if Paula dated Alvin, even if it was just for a week. Hell, I wouldn't care if it was even for a day, because I knew that was all in the past, and that was before Alvin met me. But that thing that hurts me the most was the fact that Alvin lied to me. Lying was just something I would never accept. When Alvin and I first got together, we promised each other that we would tell each other nothing but the truth, and _I _kept that promise.

But now, knowing that Alvin didn't, just tore me up more than I have ever felt before.

"Has...he he dated anyone else before?" I asked her quietly.

Tiffany shook her head. "Not that I know of..."

I sighed, feeling absolutely betrayed once again.

"But Brittany, none of that stuff matters anymore. Alvin cares about _you_." Tiffany said.

I sighed again and looked down to the ground, trying to hard to keep my emotions in tact, and trying to act as if I didn't care. "Whatever. I don't care anymore, Tiff. I just want to forget about everything that happened yesterday, please?" I whispered.

Tiffany sighed as she gave me a comforting rub on my back and said, "Okay."

The rest of the school day went on as a drag. At lunch time, I met up with the girls in the courtyard, where we always have lunch. I have a feeling Tiffany told the other girls not to mention the events of yesterday, because Chantelle and Scarlett didn't say a word about it the entire time. And like Tiffany said, Paula was nowhere to be found.

The lunch bell rang, indicating that lunch time was over. The girls and I parted, making our way to our next classes. I made a quick trip to my locker, where I exchanged my Math textbook for my History textbook when I suddenly felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out, and once I saw what was on the screen, I felt all the blood leave my face.

_1 new message from Alvin._

I stared at my phone for a long, long time. Believe me, I wanted to answer the text message so bad. As much as I wanted to avoid him right now, it was literally impossible to ignore the person that you have been so in love with - the person you _know_ that you are still in love with. I was so close to pressing the 'Read message' button, but I used all of my emotional strength to press 'Ignore'. Without even looking at the text message, I instantly deleted it.

With all the calls and text messages that _I _tried sending _him_ all this week, he chooses to ignore it. As much as it hurts my feelings, I had to accept it. But now, _he_ chooses to text me now? He's texting me now because he wants too? What about all those times when I tried contacting him? He ignored me, and now, it's my turn to ignore him.

I sighed and closed my eyes as I stored my phone back into my pocket. I hated hurting him like this, I really did. But I knew that Alvin had to feel what I had felt all damn week. He had ignored me, so it's my turn to ignore him. He had hurt me, and now it's my turn to hurt him. Even though I absolutely hate myself for doing this, I knew it was for my own good.

I made my way to my History class, trying to get my mind clear. I tried to focus on today's lesson, but I couldn't. Halfway through class, I felt my phone vibrate again. I knew it was Alvin - I had a strong feeling it was. I chose to ignore it again, but this feeling of guilt never left me alone. But I managed to survive the entire class without breaking underneath all my feelings. The moment the final bell rang, Jeanette, Eleanor and I went home, and when we arrived home, I instantly went up to my bedroom and fell onto my bed, burying myself in my blankets and pillows. I just wanted to be alone.

Just when I was about to close my eyes, I heard a knock on the door.

I sighed. "Come in." I mumbled.

Jeanette slowly poked her head into my bedroom and frowned when she saw that I was underneath all my pillows. "Are you okay? Are you sick?" She asked me.

I sighed again as I sat up straight. I shook my head and said, "No, I'm fine. Just...tired."

"Oh. Sorry for disturbing you, but Eleanor and I are gonna go out." Jeanette said.

"Where?" I asked.

Jeanette sighed as she waved a piece of paper in her hands. "Miss Miller left a note on the table, asking if we could pick up the groceries because she'll be coming home late tonight. We know that you're not in the mood to come...unless you want to."

I sighed and shook my head. "I'll stay behind."

Jeanette nodded and said, "Okay. Call us if you need anything, alright?"

I nodded before Jeanette closed the door behind her. Minutes later, I heard the car drive off, which meant that my sisters had left, leaving me alone in the house. I looked at the time on my phone. It was 3:20PM, and I was tired. I decided to take a little nap because I did not have a good sleep last night at all. I closed my eyes, but after what seemed like 5 minutes, my phone rang.

I sat up in my bed, and grabbed my phone. I put my it to my ear and said, "Hello?"

"Brittany?"

I gasped, almost inaudibly when I heard his voice. At first, I didn't know what to say. Even though it was only one day ago when I got hurt by him, hearing his voice again made me feel so...confused inside. Was I glad to hear his voice again? Or was I angry? I don't know what I was feeling, but it felt like a mixture of both. I wanted to hang up, but again, I couldn't. I just sat here, frozen, not knowing what I should do.

"Brittany, please talk to me."

I gulped and closed my eyes for a long time before finally whispering, "What do you want?"

Alvin didn't say anything for a while. There was just pure silence between the two of us. Just when I was about to hang up, he finally spoke up and said, "I know you're mad at me, but-"

"I don't wanna hear it." I shot.

"Britt..." He sighed.

I closed my eyes as I gripped my phone harder in my hand. "I have nothing to say to you anymore." I whispered.

"Brittany, let me explain." Alvin said.

I scoffed, trying to choke back tears. "If you have something to say, say it to my face." I fired, and with that, I hung up.

I laid back on my bed and stared at the ceiling, feeling my heart completely crumble to pieces. I knew what I said was mean, but did I care? No. Did it matter to me that I hurt him? Yes, it did, but I'm trying my best not to care. I hate doing this to him. Even though he had hurt me yesterday by saying I'm not his girlfriend, I still care about him. I still care about him as much as I had last week, when none of this was happening.

I closed my eyes, feeling a tear roll down my face, because I absolutely hated doing this to the one person I love more than anything.

* * *

><p>The next day...<p>

It was the last class of the day, and the last day of the week. These past few days have been hard, not only on me, but for Alvin as well. Even though I haven't seen him ever since _that_ day, I still knew that he was having as much of a hard time as I was. I wasn't afraid to admit that I miss him, because I miss him so much that it hurts. It hurts that I'm ignoring him, but he has to know what it feels like. He needs to get what he deserves.

When the final bell rang, I instantly left the classroom to go to my locker. Within minutes, all the hallways were crowded with people - the exact thing I wanted to avoid. I just wanted to get out of here and go home, wanting to clear my mind for the weekend. But just when I stuffed all of my books into my bag, I heard someone come up behind me. At first, I figured that it was just some random person, needing to go to their locker.

But no, I was wrong.

It was as if I felt him there beside me. I instantly knew who it was. I wanted to run away, but my feet wouldn't let me move. Before a word could be said, I turned to him. I couldn't hold myself back, because I knew I wanted to look at him. This was the first time seeing him in almost 2 whole days. It may sound short, but to me, it felt like a lifetime. The moment I looked into his eyes again, I felt something inside me break into even more pieces.

There was just something about looking at him again that made me weak in the knees. I wanted to say something to him - anything - but I kept my mouth closed for my sake. As of now, I'm not sure if Alvin and I are still together. I mean, I sure hope that we are, but at the same time, I didn't want to surrender under all this heartbreak.

Alvin said nothing as he looked at me. This was the first time _ever_ where I totally feel out of place being near him. Ever since I met him, I have always felt so safe and secure around him, but now, it just felt different. I wanted to say something, but again, I didn't want to talk to him here, in the middle of school - especially at this hour, when everyone is crowding up the hallways.

I closed my eyes for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and slowly closed my locker shut. I opened my eyes again and took one more at Alvin before turning on my heel to walk away. I had to walk away before I could break into tears. It broke my heart, doing this to him, but I didn't want to deal with this anymore. But before I could take another step, I felt him lightly grab a hold of my arm, which made me stop in my place.

I sighed deeply to myself before turning back to him. He didn't take his eyes off me as he moved closer to me. Once again, we returned to gazing at each other. I knew he wanted to talk to me. I mean, he came over to me in the first place, didn't he? And I wanted to talk to him too, I don't deny that. Not including that day, 2 days ago, when he humiliated me in front of everyone, I can't even remember the last time Alvin and I talked.

It's been ages since Alvin and I had a normal conversation. I miss all those times when we would just lie down beside each other on my bed, talking about nothing but the things that came up in our minds. I miss all the times he would let me cuddle up to him on the couch, while he gently kissed the top of my head. I missed everything, and it hurts me deeply to think back about them.

"Brittany." He said gently.

I just looked at him.

He sighed. "Can...can we talk?" He whispered.

I scoffed. "So _now_ you wanna talk?" I fired.

Alvin gulped and looked down. "I know, I know. I'm sorry for ignoring your calls all week. But like I told you, I wasn't trying to ignore you, I swear. But-"

"But nothing. There's no excuse for that." I said weakly.

He sighed. "Brittany, I'm sorry."

I looked at him. "Okay, you're sorry. Do you feel better?"

He sighed and shook his head. "No, I don't."

I sighed, truly feeling bad about being so mean to him. I didn't want to be that type of girlfriend who would become a bitch whenever she was angry, but I just couldn't keep my anger in control anymore.

"Brittany, can we just talk? Please? I need to explain myself." He said, lowering his voice.

I shook my head. "No. You don't need to explain anything. You already made yourself clear when you hurt me, and embarrassed me in front of your friends, and in front of mine." I whispered, my voice beginning to tremble.

"I...I-I want to talk about that too." Alvin said. He took a deep breath and said, "I never meant to hurt you."

I shook my head, feeling a tear roll down my face. "But you did." I whispered.

He sighed and moved in closer to me. He looked down towards the ground and whispered, "I know. And I feel like shit for doing that to you."

I shook my head. "I don't need to hear anything from you anymore."

"Britt, please." He whispered, looking back at me.

"No." I whispered.

"Brittany, I completely understand if you hate me or whatever. I hate myself too." Alvin sighed. "But...But I miss talking to you. I miss seeing you."

I scoffed. "You should have thought of that before hurting me." I whispered, choking back tears.

"I never meant to hurt you, Britt. You _know_ that I would never do that on purpose." He said.

"But you did." I whispered, feeling my voice grow smaller and smaller.

He sighed. "That's why I need to talk to you. I want to apologize. I need to explain _why_ I did."

I shook my head, unable to say anything more.

"Please, Brittany." He whispered.

I looked at him, and once I did, I knew I had given up. I couldn't stand the fact of hurting him. Even though he had hurt me, a part of me wanted to believe that he didn't mean it. A part of me wanted to just forgive him and let all of this drama go. I knew I shouldn't let him get to me like this, but what can I do? He wants to talk to me, and as much as I didn't show it, I wanted to talk to him too.

After a long moment of pure silence, I sighed and finally said, "I...fine."

"What?" He asked, looking at me.

I looked away, wanting to avoid eye contact. "Just come over later. Jeanette and Eleanor won't be home."

He sighed and nodded. "Thanks Britt."

I said nothing. I wanted to tell him that I still love him, but I didn't. Those three words felt like they were burning deep inside me, and before I could unintentionally say it, I looked away. Even though I'm going to see him later, it wasn't for a reason that I want. Never have I thought that mine and Alvin's relationship would come down to this. I would have never thought that we would ever have one of those 'relationship talks'. As much as it scared me, I knew our relationship was on the line.

And without saying anything else, I turned around and walked away.

And as I did, I could truly say that walking away from him has been the hardest thing I have ever done.

* * *

><p><strong>What do you guys think will happen? How will Alvin explain the truth to Brittany? Will they get back together, or will they break up? <strong>

**Thanks so much for reading! PLEASEE review! :D**


	15. Hard choices, final chances

**"Be mindful of what you toss away, be careful of what you push away, and think hard before walking away." - Anonymous**

**...**

**Alvin's POV**

After school, my brothers and I drove home, and for once, I was silent. Simon and Theodore knew better than to ask what was wrong whenever I acted like this. All the anger and self hatred that has been building up inside of me just wanted to come out. But I knew that talking to Brittany would be better. Once we arrived home, I instantly got out of the car, and slammed the car door shut. Dave's car wasn't in the driveway. He always works late anyway. Once we entered the house, I ascended up the stairs to my bedroom, dropped my books and backpack on the floor, and went back downstairs.

I was eager to see Brittany again, but this time, it wasn't for the reasons I wanted. To be brutally honest with myself, I was afraid of what the outcome would be once Brittany and I speak again. I know this entire thing is my fault, but I absolutely hated the fact that Brittany and I haven't spoken to each other in what seems like forever.

Just when I was about to reach for the door, Simon stopped me.

"Where are you going?" He asked me.

I sighed and rolled my eyes before looking towards my brother. "Out."

Simon just looked at me as Theodore came up behind him. Something tells me that they weren't convinced, and that they know something that they shouldn't. My brothers looked at me for a moment, as if they expected me to say more, but it seemed like Simon beat me to it.

"Gonna fix things up with Brittany?" Simon asked me.

At first, I froze. "Wait, how did-"

He sighed. "Jeanette and Eleanor told us."

I said nothing. Well, _of course_ they found out from Jeanette and Eleanor. I mean, who else? Brittany surely wouldn't tell them. I understand Brittany telling her sisters, but to be honest, I find it weird how Eleanor and Jeanette told my brothers. But that was the least of my concerns.

I sighed and shrugged. "So, you found out that they go to our school now too, huh?"

"Well, we only found out yesterday when they came over to us at lunch, telling us everything that happened." Theodore said, before frowning. My little brother looked at me, and I knew that he and Simon know everything behind this whole problem between me and Brittany.

I sighed. "So I figure that you guys know everything?"

"Yeah." Simon said. "And as your brother, I can honestly say that what you did was probably the stupidest thing anybody can ever do to their girlfriend."

I had the urge to roll my eyes, but I didn't. Simon was right, which made me feel more of a lowlife on the inside than I wanted. It really was the stupidest thing I have ever done, and let me tell you, I've done a _lot_ of stupid things. But this just seems like it took the top of the list. What I've done wasn't only a mistake that I've done to myself, but to my girlfriend, which is a lot worse. I can't even explain how much I hate myself right now.

I sighed before pulling out a chair from the table and sitting down. I frustratedly ran a hand through my hair and looked up at them. "Look, I know I completely fucked up-"

Theodore frowned at my choice of language, making me stop mid sentence. Theodore, being my little brother and all, I knew I had to watch my actions and words around him. Simon has a cleaner vocabulary than me and he never ever swears, only on rare ocassions if he's really upset with some stupid science project or whatever, but whenever Simon and I have a 'small' argument, we try and stop, for Theo's sake. We know that it upsets him whenever Simon and I fight.

I sighed. "I mean, _messed up_ my relationship with Brittany, and I know that it's my fault. But I really didn't mean it."

Theodore sighed as he took a seat across from me. "From what Eleanor and Jeanette told us, Brittany is really upset."

I felt a pang of guilt run through me. "I know. And I hate seeing her like that." I said, noticing that my voice was growing lower.

Simon sighed. "Have you talked to her ever since?" He asked.

"I talked to her today after school." I told him.

"And what did she say?" Simon asked.

I said nothing at first because I honestly don't remember. All I remember is saying how sorry I was, and wanting to talk to her. But that's it. I couldn't remember anything else. I couldn't remember what Brittany said to me either, but the last thing I can recall was the look on her face before she walked away from me. The look on her face was exactly what I was feeling on the inside - pain, regret and lost.

I sighed and shook her head. "Nothing that I wanted to hear, that's for sure."

Simon sighed. After a long period of time, he spoke up and asked, "Why _did_ you do that to her, though?" I knew Simon was referring to that day, 2 days ago, when I made the stupid mistake of refusing to call Brittany my girlfriend in front of all our friends.

I stared hard at the table and shook my head again. "I don't know."

But I did know. I _do _know why I did that. I scoffed and sighed, trying to stop the argument I was having inside my mind. How could I be so stupid? Was keeping up my 'bad boy' reputation more important than Brittany? Of course not! But it seemed like keeping my 'bad boy' image was all that mattered, 2 days ago, because if it didn't, mine and Brittany's relationship would still be okay.

"You don't know?" Simon asked.

I sighed. "I guess I was just being stupid. I wasn't thinking."

"Have you had a chance to tell Brittany that you made a mistake?" Theodore asked me.

"I wanted to. But I didn't. I was afraid she wouldn't listen to me." I said.

"Then what makes you think that she'll listen to you now?" Asked Theodore.

I sighed deeply. "It was obvious that she didn't want to talk to me at school, since there were people everywhere, risking the chance that someone might overhear us. But that's why I'm going over to her place right now, so we could talk to each other in private."

"Are you and Brittany even together anymore?" Theodore asked me.

I gulped because I, myself, was unsure about mine and Brittany's entire relationship now. "I...I hope so. I mean, you guys know how much I love her. You _know_ that."

"We do, but does Brittany know that?" Simon asked.

I sighed. "She should. It's not like our entire relationship was just a fling, or something."

"But after what happened that day, do you think she'll even listen to you now?" Simon asked.

I sighed. "I hope so. That's why I'm going over there right now - to fix things up with her."

"But you really messed up, Alvin." Simon told me.

"I know, okay?" I groaned. "But what I said was just a careless mistake that came out of my mouth. There was no truth to that at all."

"Look, we believe you, Alvin. We really do." Theodore sighed. "But will Brittany believe you?"

I sighed, having no answer to say because I knew that it would take more than just a simple apology to gain Brittany's trust again. And I knew I had to do way more than apologize. I had to explain everything to her. Every single thing I did to hurt her, every single piece of my stupidity, just to mend our relationship up again because the last thing I ever wanted is for us to break up.

"She should." I said quietly.

"Well, knowing Brittany, we know that she isn't really the forgiving type..." Simon said.

"I know." I said, looking straight at the table. My mind felt like blowing up right now.

My brothers said nothing as they looked at me. Despite how much of a pain in the ass I could be to them, they're the only 2 people that can help me. I mean, not even Zachary, Damian, Logan and Xavier could do that, and I've been friends with them all my life. I guess I should learn how to appreciate my brothers more because when it comes to things like this, they're all I've got.

"You just gotta make things right, Alvin." Theodore said.

I sighed and nodded. "I know, and I will."

"We know how much Brittany means to you, and even though you're a pain in the butt to deal with, I wouldn't want my brother to be heartbroken. I mean, imagine dealing with you, moping around all day?" Simon joked.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't help but smile. "Gee, thanks bro."

"No problem." Simon said.

I sighed as I got out of the chair. I grabbed my car keys from the counter and said, "I better get going now." I said, before finally walking out the door, getting into my car, and driving to Brittany's house.

Honestly, I don't know what's going to happen. I know I have a lot of explaining to do, and I know that Brittany is gonna get hurt regardless of what I say. And the thing I wanted to avoid the most was to see her get hurt again, especially from me. I don't want to lose her, but as of now, I know that our relationship has a 50% chance of staying alive. It scares me, knowing that something might happened later, something that may jeopardize our relationship, but I know that I love Brittany way too much to let her walk away from me. And all I'm hoping now is that Brittany feels the same about me.

I got out of my car once I pulled into the Miller's driveway. I walked up to the door, rang the doorbell, and waited. I expected Brittany to answer it, but instead, Jeanette and Eleanor did. I raised my eyebrows in confusion. Didn't Brittany say that they were going out?

"Alvin." Eleanor said, slightly frowning.

I gulped. I did NOT wanna get attacked my Brittany's sisters right now. I knew that Jeanette and Eleanor know what I've done - what I've done to hurt their sister, and as much as they might hate me now, I didn't want to do any explaining to them. Not without Brittany around, at least.

"Hey." I said. "Um, is Brittany here?"

"Yeah..." Eleanor said.

I sighed. "Can I speak to her?"

"Why?" Jeanette asked.

I looked at her. "You know why, Jeanette." I said.

"Right. So why should we let you see our sister, after what you've done?" Jeanette asked me.

I sighed. "Look guys, I know you hate my guts right now, but I really need to see Brittany."

Jeanette sighed. "We don't hate you, Alvin. But as Brittany's sisters, we don't really want her to get hurt again." She said.

I sighed. I understand what they're trying to say. I know how close Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor are as sisters, and of course, they didn't want anything bad happening to each other, but as of now, I wished that they could just let me see Brittany. But before either Jeanette, Eleanor or myself could say something, someone from behind them called their names.

"Jeanette, Elle. It's okay." The source of the voice came up closer, and it only took a second before we all realized it was Brittany.

I looked at her. She looked as perfect and beautiful as always, but I could tell that there was something about her that wasn't the same. It was clear she was trying to avoid making eye contact with me, and it looked as if she had been crying. I sighed, suddenly hating myself even more.

Jeanette looked at Brittany. "Are you-"

"I asked him to come over." Brittany sighed.

Eleanor and Jeanette said nothing for a few seconds. Eleanor sighed and nodded before saying, "Well, okay. We were about to go out to the mall, but if-"

Brittany briefly smiled at them and said, "It's fine. Go. I'll be okay here."

Her sisters nodded, but I could tell that they were hesitant about leaving Brittany alone here with me. It was such a weird feeling, having neither Jeanette or Eleanor trust me around Brittany anymore, but I couldn't blame them. After what I've done to hurt their sister, they have every right to hate me. Once Eleanor and Jeanette left, finally leaving me and Brittany alone, I had a feeling - a small feeling - that something wasn't right.

* * *

><p><strong>Brittany's POV<strong>

I felt my heartbeat within my ears. I hated this feeling so much, it just wanted to make me burst out into tears. I have never felt this way around Alvin. We would always be hugging and kissing each other, but now, I couldn't even say a single word around him. There was nothing I wanted to do more than to kiss him again, but I knew that it would hurt me more if I did.

I heard Alvin sigh, and I looked up to meet his gaze. We both stared at each other for just a few seconds before I finally looked away. I don't know about him, but I know that I suddenly felt lost without him. But I bit my tongue back, in case I said anything that may hurt me later on.

"Wanna sit down?" He asked me gently.

I looked back at him, and noticed that he wasn't looking at me anymore. I sighed and whispered, "Okay."

We both made our way to the living room, where we both sat down in separate couches. It hurts me, knowing that we seem like complete strangers to each other now. Pure silence swept over the two of us for a long, long time. I gulped as I pulled my knees up to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I wanted to say something, something to tell Alvin that I still love him, but my mouth felt like it had been glued shut.

Alvin cleared his throat, but I didn't look up. "Thanks for letting me come over." He said quietly.

I just nodded.

He sighed. Another period of long silence swept over us before Alvin spoke up again. "So...how have you been?"

I suddenly looked at him, disgusted that he would ask me that. How could he ask me that when he clearly knows the answer? He knows that I've been hurting on the inside because of him, that he had hurt me, made me cry, but he still has the guts to ask me that question as if we're just having a normal conversation?

It was as if Alvin read my mind, or maybe it was the look of pain that I showed in my eyes, but whatever it was, he suddenly said, "Crap, no, I-I didn't mean it like that."

I just sighed and shook my head, suddenly regretting my choice to bring him over here. I mean, who am I kidding? Our relationship will never be the same. And even if we are still together, there would still be that piece in my heart that would always be broken by his words.

"It doesn't matter, Alvin." I managed to whisper out.

He looked at me. "It does."

I shook my head. "You already made yourself clear. You don't care about anybody but yourself."

"You know that's not true." Alvin said.

"But you made it seem like it was true!" I said, my voice becoming bitter.

"If that was true, then why did I come here? If I didn't care, then why did I come here to talk to you?" Alvin asked me.

I turned away, trying to bite back tears because I was starting to feel this sort of emotional pain inside my chest.

He sighed deeply. "Brittany, I didn't come here to fight with you. I came here to fix our relationship."

I looked straight at him, suddenly feeling tears form in my eyes. "And you don't think I want that too? Because I do. I hate how things have turned out between us. I hate the fact that we're basically like strangers to each other now, and I hate how this feeling of heartbreak that _you _gave to_ me _won't go away!"

Alvin sighed as he got out of his seat to come sit beside me. He looked at me and said, "Brittany, I'm sorry."

I knew I shouldn't be giving in, but I just felt so weak. I knew I had to stay strong, but almost every single part of my mind was telling me to forgive him. But no. No. I can't allow myself to do that. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't show Alvin how weak I was because I didn't want to get hurt again.

I shook my head and turned away, feeling hot tears roll down my face. "Why did you say that to me, in front of all our friends?"

And yes, I was talking about that day, 2 days ago, when he broke my heart by telling his friends that I wasn't his girlfriend, treating me as if I was just some sort of girl he just met.

Alvin looked down and said nothing for a long time.

"Alvin, just tell me, please. I want nothing but the truth." I whispered.

He finally looked back at me, and I could tell that he was truly hurt on the inside, as much as I was. He sighed and said, "I didn't mean it. It was wrong of me to say that, Britt, but I honestly didn't mean it."

"I don't know whether or not to believe you anymore." I whispered.

He sighed. "I know. And I understand if you don't. I mean, I wouldn't believe myself either, after what I did." But then he took a deep sigh, looking deep into my eyes. "But I _am_ telling the truth, Brittany. Believe me, please."

I closed my eyes, feeling my heart shatter even more. "But I can't. Not after what happened."

"And I'm sorry that ever happened. Do you think I wanted to hurt you like that? No, of course not! But believe me when I say this, and I swear, I didn't mean a single word of what I said to you." He said.

I looked at him, and shook my head. Feelings and emotions were pouring out of my heart and into my brain. "Was our entire relationship a joke for you? Did it even mean something to you?" I asked him, pain swimming in my voice.

"It did, Brittany. And it still does." He said.

"Then if you really love me, please, tell me the truth." I whispered.

An entire minute, at the least, passed until he finally spoke up. "It...It's hard to explain."

I said nothing, because we both knew that that wasn't good enough. I sighed and looked down at the carpeted floor. "Then I guess we both know where our relationship stands now." I whispered.

His eyes snapped towards my direction, and I looked back at him. "Wh-what do you mean?" He asked.

I looked away once again, because I could feel more tears starting to come. "It's clear that you can't trust me anymore."

"Britt, stop acting like that." He whispered.

"Then why can't you tell me the truth? Throughout our entire relationship, I've told you nothing but the truth. Why can't you do the same for me?" I asked, looking into his eyes, and feeling the final pieces of my emotions break and crumble underneath all of my confused feelings.

Once again, silence swept over us. I could feel Alvin's eyes staring at me, but I couldn't do anything except turn away. I just couldn't handle this anymore. Not only were my feelings torn on the inside, but I felt like I had lost everything I had with Alvin. And it scares me, because he means so much to me, but like I said, I didn't want to get hurt again.

"I was trying to keep my reputation up." I heard him finally say.

I looked at him. "What?"

He closed his eyes and shook his head. "Brittany, it's not something I'm proud of. In fact, I wish I could undo everything."

"What are you talking about?" I asked him.

He sighed before looking at me again. "Before I met you, I was, you know, the 'bad boy' of the school. I was the one that every girl wanted, the guy that every girl wanted to date. I was basically a player, if you call it that."

At first, I didn't want to believe it. I felt sick. "W-What?"

"But I never, ever hooked up with any girls, if that's what you're thinking." He said, and sighed. "I guess my ego got so big, that it got the best of me."

I looked at him. "So...so this is all because of the fact that you wanted to keep your image up?" I whispered, my voice cracking.

"I didn't mean a thing though, Brittany. Like I said, my ego got the best of me, and I wasn't thinking. It was just a stupid mistake." Alvin said.

I didn't answer him at first. It was as if the entire universe came plummeting down on me. "So you decided to embarrass me? In front of all of our friends? You decided to make a fool out of me in front of everyone?"

Alvin gulped. "I never meant to hurt you. You know that I wouldn't. But in that moment, it was as if reality hit me in the face. I was suddenly asking myself, what the hell did I do? I have never hated myself so much, Britt. And the fact that I let you run away like that..." He shook his head, unable to finish his sentence.

"So you chose yourself, rather than to stick up for me?" I whispered, truly hurt inside.

Alvin sighed. "I'm sorry, Britt." He said.

"I...I just can't believe this is over a stupid reputation." I whispered.

"I know. I feel like the world's biggest jerk because of it. But that was the old me. That was when I hadn't met you yet. But I'm not like that anymore, I swear. I'm done with the whole bad boy image. I want nothing to do with it anymore." He said gently, looking right at me.

Deep inside, I believe him. But I couldn't say anything about it. I_ didn't_ want to say anything about it. As much as I wanted to tell him that I believe him, and forgive him, there was something inside of me that was holding me back.

"Right after you left, I told my friends that I made a mistake. I apologized to your friends too. I mean, they were pretty pissed off. Especially Tiffany." Alvin sighed. "Look, Brittany, I'm sorry for doing that to you, but now, we don't have to hide our relationship anymore. I explained everything to everyone."

"What do you mean, 'we don't have to hide'?" I asked him.

"I mean, we can just forget about this, forget about all that has happened, and start all over. I don't want our relationship to end badly over something like this - over a stupid mistake that I made." Alvin said.

I looked at him. How long has it been since I last said, 'I love you' to him? It's been ages, and I am literally yearning to say those words to him. But I couldn't find the heart to say it to him. I couldn't find the words to say that to him anymore. We both sat here for who knows how long? But in my mind, there was something else.

When Alvin and I first met, he told me that I am the only girl that he's dated. But now, I'm not so sure anymore. Not because of the fact that he has had girls wanting him for so long, but because of what Tiffany told me yesterday morning. She told me that Alvin has, in fact, went out with a girl before. And to make it worse, he went out with Paula - the girl I thought I was friends with...the girl who wanted to ruin mine and Alvin's relationship so she could have him back.

"Who else have you gone out with before?" I whispered, breaking the long silence.

He looked at me, slightly shocked with the question. "What?" He asked.

"Who else have you dated before dating me?" I asked again.

"Brittany, I already told you that you're the only one." He said.

I looked at him, hatred filling my veins. "Yeah? Then what about Paula?"

And the moment I said her name, I saw him freeze. I shook my head and scoffed, trying so hard to hold back tears. I caught him, and he knows I did. Now there's nothing he can do about it except tell the truth - the honest, brutal truth.

"Who...who told you about that?" He said, his voice was barely a whisper.

"It doesn't matter. How can you lie to me, Alvin?" I asked him, failing at holding back tears. My heart was in two, and there were tears falling down my cheeks non-stop.

"Brittany, I didn't lie!" He said.

"But you went out with her! I know you did!" I exclaimed, suddenly feeling more betrayed than ever.

"That was just a one time thing! I didn't even like her back them! I never have, and I never will!" Alvin exclaimed.

I shook my head. "How can you sit there, and tell me that I'm the only girl you've dated, when you've actually gone out with someone else before?"

"Because what Paula and I had was _nothing_! It was nothing, Brittany. I wouldn't even consider it 'dating' because it wasn't!" Alvin said.

I scoffed. "How many other girls have you gone out with before?"

"None!" He said.

I rolled my tear-filled eyes. "Yeah, right."

Alvin got a soft hold on my wrist, and looked at me. "Fine. You want the truth? I _did_ go out with Paula before, but that was way before I met you! She means nothing to me compared to how I feel about you."

I pulled my wrist back. "Alvin, that doesn't matter to me. I don't care if you guys went out, even if it was just once. But the fact that you _lied_ to me, in my face? How can you do that to me?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry for lying, Britt. But you have to believe me, it was only a one time thing. I don't even care about Paula. There are so many girls out there, wanting my attention, but do I even acknowledge them? No, I don't, because _you're_ the only girl who matters to me, Brittany."

I didn't know what to do, or say. My heart was beating so fast, my head was so filled with emotions and words, that I almost felt dizzy.

"I'm sorry. I regret everything I've done to hurt you, Britt, but I don't want this to end badly. I won't hurt you again." He whispered.

I looked at him, tears spilling from both of my eyes. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"Because I don't want to lose you." He said, whispering so low that I barely heard him.

"I don't wanna lose you either, Alvin, but...but this just isn't good for us anymore." I whispered.

He froze. "What?"

I looked away. "You have your crowd, and I have mine. It's just gonna interfere with everything, Alvin. It just doesn't mix well."

"Then we can change that, Brittany." He said.

I closed my eyes, feeling my heart pump even faster now. "How?"

"Does it matter? As long as we're together, nothing really matters." He whispered.

Right after he said that, the memories of everything that we went though together all Summer came flashing through my mind. He was right. Just as long as we're together, there was nothing that mattered except for each other. But things are different now. Much more different.

Alvin sighed, realizing that I didn't answer. "Do...do you still love me?" He asked me.

I couldn't hold back on this question, because I knew that I do. I nodded my head so faintly, it was as if I barely moved. Of course I still love him. It's impossible not to love someone whom who've spent so much time with. But because I love him so much, I put myself through all this pain, because there was nothing more I wanted to do than to be with him.

I looked at him, lost for words for a moment. "Of course I love you, Alvin. You _know_ how much I love you." I whispered. I never knew how painful it could be to say words until today - until right now.

Alvin said nothing. He just continued to look at me, but I knew that he was as hurt as I was on the inside.

I took a deep breath. "It's just...I don't know whether to listen to my feelings anymore. I'm still so hurt by what you've done that I'm just scared that...you'll hurt me again."

"I will never make that mistake again, Brittany. Never." He whispered.

I closed my eyes, knowing that he was telling the truth.

Another moment of silence passed us before Alvin spoke up again. "Do...do you still want to be with me?"

It was as if my heart and mind stopped for a few seconds. His words hit me like a train. Do I still want to be with him? Even though I love him so much, is it for my benefit, being with him again? Or will my feelings get played around with once more? I was scared, I was truly, truly scared, that I was starting to become unsure with everything.

I looked up to look into Alvin's eyes.

I didn't know what to say.

* * *

><p><strong>What do you think Brittany will say to him? Will she give him another chance? Or will they break up for good? :(<strong>

**Thanks so much for reading, and PLEASE review! :)**


	16. Maybe it's for the best

**"You have to learn when to give up, when to walk away, even if it hurts...especially if it hurts." - Anonymous **

**...**

**Brittany's POV**

I said nothing. Nothing at all. The question rang in my mind. It pierced inside my head, and went straight to my heart.

_'Do you still want to be with me?'_

I looked up at Alvin, who just kept his eyes on me. I knew that if I wasn't going to say anything soon, he would assume that I just ended our relationship here and now. But no, I didn't want him to think that. But I was so confused, not only with myself, but with my feelings. I know I love Alvin, I mean, I can never ever deny that, but should I still be with him? After everything that he's done, should we get back together?

When Alvin apologized to me, I knew he was being sincere. And I accept his apology, I mean, he came all the way over here, just to explain everything to me. That goes to show how much he still cares about me, even after being on this rocky path of our relationship. And as much as I want to be with him again, there was just something inside of me, holding me back.

But what was it?

I do believe him. Trust me, I believe him when he said that he's sorry and that what he did was a mistake. But like I said, even though I want us to get back together, I don't know if I could. I've been through so much, I've been hurt so deeply and I've been so heartbroken, that maybe - just maybe - I was scared to go through it again.

Even though I truly, truly believe that Alvin will never hurt me again, there was still that deep hole in my heart where he had emotionally hurt me. And I had a small, sickening feeling that no matter what happens, I will always be scarred by those events. All those words, those heartbreaks, everything. As much as I know that Alvin will never make the same mistake again, I was scared to be with him again.

It was all those memories - those short, but excruciating memories - that were holding me back.

"Britt?" I heard him whisper.

I looked at him, suddenly regaining my mind back. One look at him made me crumble to pieces all over again. Countless times have I looked into his eyes and smiled, feeling his arms wrap around me as we kissed. But that was before, that was the past because all there was now, there was nothing but pure emptiness. Even though it happened just a few days ago, I've been though enough. I was - and still am - distraught.

I sighed deeply and looked away. What was I gonna say to him? Yes, I still love you, but no, I don't think we should get back together? Or yes, I still love you, and yes, we should get back together, even though we both know that it isn't for the best intentions...

I had to say something, but I wanted to find a way to tell him without hurting him.

"Look, Alvin..." I started off, but I couldn't find a way to finish.

Alvin sighed. "It's okay, Britt. If you want our relationship to be over...then I guess it's over."

I looked at him, hurt on the inside when he said that. "Why would you say that?" I whispered.

"Because I don't know what to do anymore, Brittany! I don't want us to break up, but I could see how hurt you are. And if it's for your own good, then we might as well break up. As much as I don't want us to, I'm only concerned about you, and how you feel." Alvin said, seriously but softly.

I sighed and closed my eyes. Again, I was at a loss for words. I didn't know what to say without hurting him. In fact, I didn't know what to say at all. I was literally in a ball full of emotions right now. I didn't know what to do, without hurting the both of us.

Alvin sighed. "Are we even together, at this point?"

"I don't know anymore." I whispered, opening my eyes to stare straight at the floor.

Silence swept over us. I truly felt bad, no, horrible about this. I knew that Alvin was feeling the same, but in a way, I had to let it out. I've been wanting to talk to him for so long, and I needed to tell him how I felt throughout this whole thing. It kills me to know that our relationship is crumbling apart, because to be brutally honest, Alvin is the best thing that has ever happened to me. But now, I just wasn't so sure about anything anymore.

I slowly lifted my gaze to look back at him. "Alvin, I still want to be with you. You have no idea how much I still want to be with you, but...but I don't know what to do anymore."

Alvin looked at me, but said nothing.

"Because I think that getting back together now - especially since we're both unsure where our relationship stands - well, it's not good for either of us." I continued softly.

"What do you mean?" Alvin asked me.

I closed my eyes for a second and took a deep breath. "I don't want to lose you, I really don't. But do you really think that getting back together is the best for the both of us? Especially since our relationship is literally breaking apart?"

Alvin sighed deeply, but again, remained silent. After a while he looked at me and said, "I know what I did to you was wrong, and that no amount of apologies could ever make up for it, but you have to know that I will never do that again. All that stuff about keeping my bad boy reputation means nothing to me. That was the old me, Britt. That's not who I am anymore."

"And I believe you, Alvin. I really do." I said, beginning to feel my voice break. "But I'm just so scared."

He took his hand and gently used a finger to tilt my chin up so I could be looking at him directly in the eyes. "I won't let anything hurt you anymore. Especially me."

I closed my eyes, feeling a new batch of tears roll down my face. I pulled back from Alvin and looked to the carpet again. "There's still something inside of me that's telling me that I shouldn't get back together with you. After what happened, I'm not so sure if it's for my benefit, being in love with you again."

"But...but you do, don't you? You're still in love with me, right?" He whispered.

"I do. But that's the problem, Alvin! Because of the fact that I love you so much, I don't want us to break up. But I don't know what to do anymore. It's like, I want to be with you, but something inside of me is telling me not to." I said.

It basically kills every single part of me on the inside when I said this. Alvin has been through everything with me. In the short months of actually knowing him, and being in a relationship with him, I felt as if we have been together for years. I mean, he was my first boyfriend, my first kiss, and not to mention, we both lost our virginity to each other. That's how much we trusted each other back then.

But now, it seemed like there was nothing.

And it was all because of some stupid mistake.

Once again, silence swept over us. I looked down to the carpeted floor, but I could feel Alvin's eyes on me. I felt so lost now. What was happening? Alvin is the only person whom I feel extremely safe with, but as of now, I felt so distant from him. I knew I should just get back with him and get all this drama over with, but as much as I wanted to, something deep inside of me was telling me not to let him get back to me so easily.

"I care about you so much, you know that right?" He whispered, breaking the silence.

I looked into his eyes, and once I did, I felt a part of me melt. I sighed and nodded. "I know." I said.

"I will never hurt you again, Brittany. What I did was a one time mistake. But we don't have to go through this anymore. Your friends know we're together, and my friends know we're together. There are no more problems, Britt. We can just go back to our relationship, the relationship we had before this fight." Alvin said.

I closed my eyes and sighed, turning my head to avoid his gaze. I opened my eyes again and stared straight out in front of me. "It's not that easy, Alvin."

"What do you mean?" He asked me.

I looked back at him. "You may think it's easy, but it's not. _I'm_ the one who got hurt, not you. And as much as I want us to get back together, I don't know if I can. What you did to me has affected me so much, that I'm just scared that something will happen again."

"But it won't, Britt. I can promise you that." He said.

I wanted to believe him. Every cell in my body was aching because I wanted to believe him so, so badly. But my heart is still so damaged, that I wasn't even sure if I could go on anymore. I lost all of my trust in him. Even though he's saying that he won't hurt me again, and even though I truly and deeply believe it, I just couldn't trust him anymore.

I looked at him. "Are you sure?" I whispered, my voice beginning to break once more.

"I swear. I will never do anything that will risk the chance of losing you again." He said.

I sighed, and closed my eyes.

I felt Alvin wrap an arm around my waist as he pulled me closer to him. Gosh, how I missed this feeling. It made me smile on the inside, being in Alvin's arms again, but I couldn't help but think that there was something missing. The way he hugged me now didn't feel like all those other times when we hugged. It was as if we were missing that special bond, as if we had lost that special connection...

"I'm so sorry for everything." He whispered.

I sighed to myself, and said nothing for the longest while. "I know, and I believe you."

Silence was dawned upon us once again until Alvin spoke up.

"So are we still together?" He whispered.

I sighed. I knew what I had to do. I knew it would hurt and damage me the most if Alvin and I broke up for good. I mean, what good will it do if we break up? But again, if we do stay together, the pain that lingers in my heart now, would still be there for who knows how long? And even if we are still together, the trust I had for Alvin was just simply gone. And what was the point of being with someone if you had little trust in them? And I knew that _that _would be worse for me.

I got out of Alvin's embrace and looked at him. There were tears in my eyes. I looked at Alvin and once I saw his expression, I could tell that he knew what was happening next.

Alvin looked away. "I guess not."

Tears upon tears began to flood my eyes, and as I blinked them away, my cheeks were covered in them. I touched his arm and said, "Don't hate me, please." I whispered.

"I don't hate you." He said, but he didn't look up at me.

"Alvin, I'm so sorry." I cried.

He looked at me and half-smiled, but I could tell that he was hurt. "No, it's your choice, Brittany. I get it."

"It's not that I don't want to be with you, Alvin, but..." I couldn't carry on. My voice got choked up with tears.

Alvin just nodded. "No, it's totally fine." He whispered.

"Alvin..." I cried.

Alvin sighed, but said nothing. I didn't want this to happen. I didn't want him to get hurt. But what else was I supposed to do? If we stayed in this relationship, I knew that our relationship would never be the same. There was just something between us that was lost when all this drama started. I knew that I still love him, but I'm not sure if I could trust him anymore.

I looked at him though teary eyes. "Alvin, I'm sorry." I whispered.

He looked at me. "What do you want me to say, Brittany?" He fired softly, but I could tell that he was being dead serious.

I looked at him and said, "I-I...I just...I don't want you to take this the wrong way. I don't want you to think that this is your fault because I _do_ believe you when you say that you will never hurt me again, but-"

"How could I not, Brittany? This _is _my fault. Because of my stupidity and my ego, I ruined our relationship." He said.

Neither Alvin and I said anything after that. My heart was pounding, and my head was spinning. What the hell and I suppose to do now? I can't even explain how much I love him, and that's why it kills me to see him so hurt like this.

After a long period of silence, I looked back at him and said, "It's not like we've broken up for good." I whispered.

He just looked at me.

I sighed and looked away, staring out the window. "I still want to be with you, Alvin. But I think we should just...take things slow for now."

"What?" He asked.

"I'm just so scared that if we rush back into our relationship again, something worse will happen." I whispered.

"Britt, what-"

I looked at him. "Because look what happened. We only met each other last Summer. We fell in love, and we took our relationship seriously in so little time. And because of that, look at the outcome." I said, trying to hold back tears.

Alvin said nothing as he looked at me. "So what are you trying to say?"

I gulped, scared - terrified - of what I was going to say next.

"I'm trying to say that I...I'm not ready to be in a relationship again until I get myself together again." I whispered, looking away from him.

"Oh." Alvin said.

And once again, there was silence. Pure silence.

I finally looked up at Alvin and found him staring off into the distance. I sighed. "Alvin?"

He looked at me, but said nothing.

"Are you mad at me?" I whispered.

He shook his head. "No, of course not. It's your choice, Britt. I understand."

I moved in closer to him. "It's not like we've broken up for good." I said again.

He nodded. "I know."

I sighed. "I just want us to take things slow for now."

He nodded again. "If it's for the best."

"I just need to find composure again." I whispered. "I just need to get myself together, and recover from all of this."

He nodded once more. "I guess you're right. If it's the best for our relationship, then..." He didn't finish.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I needed to recover from all this pain and heartbreak for a while. I needed some time to be single, and not focus on love and relationships. And even though it hurts me, I guess it really is the best thing we could do for our relationship right now.

"I guess I have to earn back your trust then." Alvin said softly.

I looked at him. He was right. Even though I love him so much, I had so little trust in him now. I sighed and nodded. "We'll just take it day by day until we're ready to get back together." I said.

"But this break up... it's only temporary, right?" He whispered.

I looked at him. At first, I was unsure. But after a second, I knew that it had to be temporary. I wouldn't want us to break up for good. I nodded and said, "Yeah. I mean, look at it this way Alvin. You'll be with your friends, and I'll be with mine. It'll give the both of us a chance to live the single life again."

He nodded faintly. "I guess you're right."

I sighed. "So I guess this is it now, huh?"

"For now." He said.

"Then I guess that means that we're friends?" I said.

Alvin sighed deeply. "I guess."

It wasn't like Alvin and I have broke up for good. But as of now, we both think that taking a little break from our relationship is the best for the both of us. Like I said, I need this time to regain my composure and to get my mind off of all this pain and heartbreak that I've been suffering. And for Alvin, well, he knows what I'm going through, and as much as it hurts me to let him go like this, it was only for a little while, after all.

After a small while, Alvin spoke up and said, "I'd better get going now."

I felt my heart shatter on the inside, but I knew I had to let him go. I mean, this is the whole point of this temporary break up, isn't it? I had to learn how to get over this heartbreak, even if it means doing it the hardest way possible. I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but I just had to because if I don't, this is only going to get worse for me.

I nodded as I stood up. I held my hand out to Alvin. He took it and we both walked to the front doors. After he put his shoes and jacket back on, we stared at each other for the longest time. I sighed deeply, knowing that trying to get over this break up will take me a long, long time to do.

_It's only temporary. You didn't break up with him forever._ I tried telling myself that over and over again, but it didn't work.

I felt as if I was losing him forever.

_You can do it. You have to let him go. Do you want to keep suffering? You have to let him go now._

I wanted to shut my mind up, but I couldn't.

_This isn't going to get better. You have to learn how to get over this heartbreak, Brittany. Let him go now._

"Bye." He whispered abruptly.

I looked into his eyes once more, and the moment I did, I completely lost it.

"Bye." I whispered back, tears streaming down my face.

He gently leaned in, and kissed the top of my forehead. He pulled back and looked into my eyes one last time before heading out the door, into his car, and before he drove away. After I locked the door, I went straight up into my room. I fell onto my bed and just laid there for a long, long time.

All I could think about now is what'll happen between us in the future. What about school? We're gonna see each other in the school hallways, no doubt about that. What's gonna happen then? And even though we say that this break up is only for a short while, until we're ready to get back together, what if that never happens? As much as it frightens me to think so, what if we never get back together? I mean, our relationship is already ruined, Alvin and I act so differently around each other, and now, we've basically broken up.

I can only hope that good things will happen in the future.

My heart was shattered, but I didn't cry. As much as I hate myself for doing what I did today, I knew it was for the best. It was for the benefit of not only myself or Alvin, but for our relationship as well.

Even though we haven't broken up for good, we still did, in a way.

And like I said, Alvin and I are going to take it day by day. But as of now, we're nothing but friends.

Friends...

That word. That one word suddenly brought everything back, from _that_ day - the day that started all of this.

And as each memory, and each feeling from that moment, when Alvin broke my heart in front of everybody, came back, I silently broke down into tears.

* * *

><p>3 months later...<p>

It was now Decemeber.

3 months have passed, but Alvin and I are still not together.

These 3 months have been hard on me. I told my sisters everything that happened that night when Alvin and I broke up, but they seemed to agree with me that it was a good idea. Miss Miller was beginning to wonder why I haven't been spending time with Alvin anymore, but the only excuse I came up with was that we only hang out with each other after school now, because we've been busy with homework and all that stuff. I couldn't tell Miss Miller that we broke up.

I've been beginning to feel a bit better, but every time I spot Alvin in school, a bit of me would break down all over again. Alvin and I have barely spoken to each other within these past 3 months, and I was beginning to wonder why...

I don't have any classes with him, and the only times I see him is at lunch or through the school hallways. But again, he's always with his friends, that he barely even notices me anymore. I mean, he _does_ say hi to me sometimes, but that's it. Nothing more, just a simple 'hello'. It felt like we weren't even friends at all anymore.

Strangers. That's what it feels like now. We were nothing more than strangers to each other.

I felt like I had enough. These 3 months have done absolutely nothing to me. In fact, they've done me worse. I've been beginning to miss him more and more each day. We haven't even looked at each other for more than 5 seconds, let alone talk to each other.

I was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, we really have broken up for good...

Today was a cool Friday afternoon. Jeanette, Eleanor and I drove back home from school, did our homework, and just relaxed the rest of the time. I sighed as I cuddled up on the couch. I've been thinking about Alvin a lot lately - more than I should, in fact.

Miss Miller came home from work at 9pm like she usually did, and we all ate dinner at the table. The usual conversations were said at dinner, like what we did at school, and whatever. Nothing special there. Right after dinner, we cleaned up, did the dishes and cleared the table. Right when my sisters and I were about to go upstairs and into our own bedrooms, Miss Miller spoke up.

"Girls, before you go upstairs, I have something to tell you three." Miss Miller said to us.

Eleanor, Jeanette and I exchanged glances.

"What is it, mom?" I asked.

Miss Miller smiled as she took a seat on the couch. Jeanette, Eleanor and I sat down on the sofas across from her and looked at her, wondering what she had to tell us.

"Well, today at work, I got the news that I've been promoted." Miss Miller said.

Eleanor gasped. "That's great, Miss Miller!"

Miss Miller smiled and sighed. "But that's not the only thing."

"What is it, mom?" Jeanette asked.

Our mother looked at each of us before finally saying, "We're moving to New York."

* * *

><p><strong>Oh no...<strong>

**It looks like the girls are moving to the other side of the country! D:**

**How will Brittany react? Will Alvin ever find out?**

**What do you think about Alvin and Brittany's break up? Do you guys think it's official, or not? (Because from the looks of it, it seems pretty official to me...)**

**And do you think they'll ever fix their relationship?**

**Thanks for reading, and PLEASE review! :)**


	17. What I need to say

**Hey everyone! First of all, I know it's been like, 432485383 trillion years since I last updated and I am SO sorry! But I am now in this point on high school where everything counts for University, and that's why I haven't been on Fanfic for SO long! But I can now find some time to update, yay!**

**But here is what I wanna say. Thank you to everyone who has supported me in my decision to stay on fanfic, I mean, the amount of reviews and PMs I got regarding that was just overwhelming. I mean, 50+ reviews just on a note saying that I might leave? You guys are amazing. I am so glad I listened to you all, because I don't know what I would do!**

**But again, I can't even express the amount of support you guys have given me. If I could list down all the reviews and PMs I've gotten, I would, but that'd take up too much space LOL But trust me, you guys are good at filling up my inbox haha! You are the friendliest bunch ever. And sometimes, I get PMs not even about my stories! Sometimes I get messages from people who just want to talk to me about everyday life! :D Thank you to all of you who just randomly PM me to tell me how my stories make you smile, and how my stories have motivated you into writing. Your PMs make me smile, honestly, to know that I - a random 16 year old girl - could inspire people so much. I mean, WHOA! I never knew my stories, and myself, could affect some people in many ways! So for that, I love you all.**

**Oh, and I have a NEW story (Outside of fanfiction) that I'm currently working on. If you'd like to take a look at it, PM me :)**

**But in the mean time, here's the next chapter... :D**

* * *

><p><strong>"Sometimes in order to not fall apart, you have to let go of what keeps you together." - Anonymous<strong>

**...**

At first, I thought Miss Miller was joking. I mean, no, that's impossible! That can't happen! We just moved here this Summer! We can't possibly move to another city AGAIN! I looked at Jeanette and Eleanor, who looked equally as shocked as me. I looked back at our mom, hoping that she would say she was just kidding, but no. Miss Miller kept a straight face the entire time.

That's when I knew she was telling the truth.

"We...we are?" I managed to whisper out.

Miss Miller nodded. "Yes. I just found out today."

I felt my heart drop. New York? That's on the other side of the country! I don't want to leave. I mean, I want to stay in Los Angeles forever. But a sickening feeling poured over me, making me realize that we had no choice. This was Miss Miller's job. This was what was giving us a home to live in, clothes to wear, and food to eat. I knew I couldn't take this opportunity away from Miss Miller, but like I said, I felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach.

Miss Miller sighed as she turned to look at the three of us. "Look, girls. I know that we've been moving from city, to city, to city, but what can I do? This is my job, and this is a job that pays really well for us. And though I know it upsets you girls, knowing that we're going to have to move yet again, I have no other choice."

I looked to the ground. How many times have we moved ever since Miss Miller found this well paying job? 6, 7 times maybe? Yeah, in only 5 years, we had to move at least 7 times. Not that I blame Miss Miller's job, but it was just so frustrating, knowing that we have to move again. But this time was different. This is New York we're talking about! All my life, we've lived on the West Coast. I mean, the places we've moved to weren't even that far apart from one another! I have never experienced moving to the other side of America.

Jeanette sighed. "But mom, what's the point of moving to New York if your job will just move to another city again?"

Miss Miller sighed and hesitated. "That's another thing I wanted to tell you girls..."

We all just stayed silent and waited for her to continue.

Miss Miller looked at us and said, "My company's headquarters are in New York. Once they move there, it's permanent."

Eleanor raised her eyebrows in confusion. "So would that mean..."

Our mother nodded her head, as if she could answer Eleanor's question before she even finished it. "Yes. Once we move there, they promised not to move to a new location, since the headquarters is in New York. And that would also mean that we would live in New York. No more moving, nothing."

Again, my sisters and I stayed silent.

Truthfully, as much as I loved living here in the 6 months of actually living here in Los Angeles, I wouldn't mind moving to another city. But there was just something that made me cringe in pain on the inside, holding me back from that decision of moving away. That one reason - that one person - was the reason why my heart is trying to hold back right now on the thought of leaving.

Within the 6 months of living here in Los Angeles, I found something - someone - that I have never thought could change me as a person. He was my everything. He was my first at everything too. And because of that, I feel as if I have a special connection to this place, because this is the city where we both met for the first time.

And I miss him so much.

It's been 3 months since Alvin and I temporarily broke up, but to be honest, it seemed as if it was a permanent break up. We haven't spoken to each other, we haven't even seen each other in 3 whole months! Though we go to the same school, and though I _do_ see him in the hallways at times, there was just something about him that I couldn't approach. I couldn't find the guts to walk up to him anymore.

And it kills me to feel this pain inside of me. He meant everything to me, and he still does. Despite the bad turn in our relationship, and despite the fact that we both agreed to take a break from our relationship, I feel as if I had lost him forever. And at times, I just want him back. But I do often wonder if he still feels the same for me.

But like I said, it feels as if we're strangers to each other now.

And now, knowing that I'm leaving Los Angeles to go live on the other side of the country, killed me on the inside because I knew that it also meant leaving _him_...

"When...when are we leaving?" I asked, still looking at the floor.

Miss Miller sighed. "They said somewhere between late December, maybe early January."

I felt my throat close up as my eyes flicked up to the calendar that was hanging on the wall. It was December 2nd, which meant that we only have about a month left. A month before I have to leave. A month before I had to leave him.

I had a month to tell Alvin that I may never get to see him again.

But then I asked myself, will he even care?

* * *

><p>I decided to tell Tiffany, Scarlett and Chantelle the news 3 days later. I knew I had to tell them, I knew I had to tell somebody. And with them, being my closest friends here, and knowing everything that has happened between me and Alvin, they were the only ones I could turn to. School had just ended for the day, and the four of us were sitting outside in the cool December weather, sitting at one of the picnic benches outside the building. I decided that I shouldn't wait any longer to tell them, since they <em>are<em> my closest friends here, and that we became really close to each other ever since I came here. But when I did tell them, they didn't take it well at all.

"WHAT?" Tiffany exclaimed.

I sighed and nodded.

"Brittany, you're joking." Chantelle said.

I shook my head. "I wish I was." I said, almost in a whisper.

"No! Britt, you can't leave!" Scarlett explained.

I sighed and looked down. I shoved my hands into the pockets of my sweater and said, "It's not like I want to leave, but it's for my mom. I don't want her to lose her job because of me wanting to stay here, but.."

"But you just came here! You can't just leave after staying here for like, 4 months!" Chantelle said.

"I know. Believe me, I took this a lot worse than you guys can imagine. But I just couldn't say no. This is for my mom. This means a whole lot to her." I explained, again, my voice softening.

Chantelle sighed. "We understand. But isn't there anything you can do about it? Like maybe your mom can live in New York while you and your sisters stay here."

I shook my head as I looked back up. "My mom will never allow us to do that."

Tiffany frowned. "Can you at least do something? Try and convince her or something?"

I shook my head once again. "Nothing will work, Tiff."

She sighed, stuffing both of her hands inside the pockets of her hoodie. "Wow. I can't believe you're actually leaving. And you only came this year! Not even a year, in fact!"

"I know. Out of all the places I've lived, Los Angeles has been my favorite. I don't want to move yet again, but I don't have a choice." I told them.

We all stayed silent for a while. I sighed and looked down again. This was beginning to be a sensitive topic for me. It upsets me to know that this is reality, that I really am moving. Yeah, you may think that I'm use to it, me moving around to city to city all the time, but this time was different. It was about the people I've met here in LA in the short months of actually living here.

And like I said, this was where _he_ and I met for the first time.

It seemed as though 5 minutes have passed without a single word being brought up, but the silence was finally broken when Scarlett asked me the question I most feared to hear.

"Have you talked to Alvin yet?" Asked Scarlett.

I looked at her, and found her, along with Tiffany and Chantelle staring at me. At first, I didn't know what to say. I felt as though I was afraid to say something. Because whenever I heard Alvin's name, or even thought about his name, a sudden rush of emotions came within me. And it made me weak, thinking back to all the times when he and I were still together; the times when he and I were still okay...

I sighed and shrugged lightly. "No." I said.

"Why not?" Scarlett asked.

"We're still not back together." I said. I knew that was a poor excuse, but what else could I say?

"We know." Scarlett sighed. "But have you told him about this yet?"

I shook my head. "No. You three are the only ones who know."

"But are you planning to tell him?" Tiffany asked me quietly.

I sighed and shrugged again. "I don't know." I whispered.

Tiffany sighed. "Look, Britt, if you don't wanna talk about him, then that's okay. We don't want to make you feel awkward."

I half smiled but shook my head. "No, it's fine." I sighed, then continuned. "But, it's just...I mean, Alvin and I haven't spoken to each other in 3 months. I don't know if he'll care if I'm leaving, or-"

"But he has the right to know." Chantelle said. "He still cares about you."

I shook my head. "Is that why he's been ignoring me for the past 3 months?" I muttered.

"Britt, don't think about it like that. He just wants to give you some space, that's all." Scarlett said.

"And did he tell you guys that?" I asked, trying so hard to bite back these pathetic tears.

"Well, no...but trust us, Britt. We know Alvin. We've known him for years, and we could truly see how much he cares about you." Scarlett told me.

"But that's not the point. We're still not together." I said.

"Brittany, you should still tell him, though. I mean, imagine how he'll feel if you really do leave without saying anything to him. He'll be devastated." Tiffany told me.

I looked at her, realizing that she was right. Even though Alvin and I are still broken up, I know that he still cares about me, as much as I still care about him. And though it kills me on the inside to know that this will hurt Alvin as much as it'll hurt me, he still has the right to know. I just can't leave without telling him. But the scary thing is, how am I going to approach him and tell him? If I even have the chance to, that is.

I looked down to the ground again. "I know, Tiff. I know I have to tell him, but...but we haven't spoken to each other in 3 whole months! And then I'm suddenly gonna go up to him and tell him I'm moving to the other side of the country?! No, I-I can't."

Tiffany, Scarlett and Chantelle fell silent as they looked at me. I closed my eyes. This was hurting me more than I had imagined. This wasn't fair for me at all. I mean, imagine going up to someone you haven't spoken to in 3 months and telling them that you're moving to a new city sometime soon. And it's more than just that. It'll break Alvin, and that's what scares me. We have lost so much time together, due to this breakup of ours.

And now it seems that we will never ever get that time back.

"Do you want us to talk to him for you?" Chantelle asked me.

I looked back up and sighed. I shook my head. "No, it's fine. I know I should be the one to do it."

"You should tell him soon, Britt. You only have a month left before you leave. The sooner you tell him, the better." Scarlett said quietly.

I nodded, knowing that she was nothing but correct.

* * *

><p>The final bell rang. I made my way out of my last class and into the hallway as I walked to my locker. I knew I had to listen to what Tiffany, Scarlett and Chantelle told me earlier, because if I continue to wait, that'll just make everything worse. After I gathered up my belongings, I closed my locker shut. I closed my eyes for about 2 seconds before finally making my way through the other end of the school, towards his locker.<p>

It's not as though Alvin and I haven't seen each other at school, because we do. But that's the thing; we only see each other. And even then, it's just a vague glimpse in the hallway as we're walking to class. We don't even speak to each other anymore. Ever since we broke up, we haven't called each other, texted each other - nothing.

And it scares me to be near him again because I know that I still love him. And I was afraid that my feelings would somehow get the best of me.

I knew where he and his friends hung out after school. I would always see them lounge about, getting ready to go to a sports practice or something. But how I wished that he was alone, just this once so I could talk to him. I finally spotted him, at his locker, with his friends Zachary, Logan and Xavier right behind him.

Great, just what I needed. It's not that I mind Zach, Xavier and Logan because they _are_ Alvin's friends, and they _are_ nice guys, but it was the fact that they knew everything going on in mine and Alvin's relationship, or 'past' relationship, just like how Tiffany, Scarlett and Chantelle know.

I was about to walk away, feeling myself surrender, but I knew this had to happen sooner or later, and I knew that now is the best choice. I sighed, adjusting my bag on my shoulder and finally made my way towards them. I didn't know what to do. This was the first time in 3 months where Alvin and I would speak to each other. 3 months may seem like a short while, but believe me, if you've gone this long without speaking to someone who means so much to you, it'll feel like a lifetime.

But I was scared. What if Alvin doesn't care? What if these past 3 months did something to him that made him somehow forget about everything we've been through? I was just scared - terrified - to know what'll happen. Everything felt so different around him now. I didn't feel safe, I didn't feel loved...

I was just so lost.

I didn't realize I was at least 5 feet away from him until I heard Alvin close his locker shut. They all had their backs to me, so they didn't see me behind them, which I didn't know if whether that was a good thing, or a bad thing. Maybe I should just walk away now. Maybe I should just tell him tomorrow, when his friends weren't with him.

But before I even knew it, before I even though about it, his name slipped out of my mouth.

"Alvin?" I said.

My heart began to race as I realized what I just did. But there was nothing I could do about it anymore. Alvin suddenly turned around, and once he caught my gaze, I found myself lost once again. It's been ages since I've last seen him, ever so close to me like this. It broke my heart on the inside, but at the same time, it brought a sense of relief back to me, knowing that he's looking at me again, after all this time.

I knew I was still in love with him - so excruciatingly in love with him.

He didn't seem to blink. He continued to stare at me, and knowing him, I knew he was probably feeling the same way as I am right now. It was such a weird feeling being near him again. Like I've mentioned, it has been way too long since we were together, and these past 3 months have been like hell. And though Alvin and I broke up for the sake of our own relationship, it seemed to have made everything worse.

He stepped away from his locker and faced me. He stared at me or at least two more seconds before saying, "Brittany."

It was such a weird feeling to say his name out loud and to hear him say my name again. Even though I knew it was highly impossible, but there was just something inside of me that made me wonder if he ever forgot my name. Ridiculous, I know, but there was just something inside me that made me think if that was ever possible.

Alvin looked at his friends, who looked back at him. Alvin sighed and said, "Tell Coach that I'll be a bit late."

Xavier nodded as he, Zachary and Logan began to gather up their backpacks. Like I said, I knew they were all on their way to a practice, but it did make me smile on the inside knowing that Alvin was putting that aside for one moment just to talk to me. As Zach, Logan and Xavier passed me, they smiled, and I smiled back. It was awkward because though they are my friends too, I couldn't help but wonder what was going through their minds. But the moment they disappeared, everything grew silent.

I looked up at Alvin, who was leaning against his locker, arms folded, with his gaze straight on the floor. I wanted to say something first - anything - just to break the silence, but I didn't know what to say. I didn't know how to start. But after a few seconds, when Alvin and I were completely alone in the hallway, he lifted his gaze to look back at me.

I felt my heart melt when he gave me that half smile of his that I always loved.

"Hey." He said.

"Hi." I sighed.

Silence fell between us. I could remember the last time we were alone together, the day we broke up. I sighed, trying to rid that memory from my head.

"How are you?" He asked.

I looked at him. I knew I couldn't answer that truthfully, because saying 'I'm fine' was a lie. I have been everything _but_ fine. I looked at him and smiled, though it killed me to do so because there was nothing genuine about my smile. "I've been okay." I said quietly.

He smiled. "That's good."

"How are you?" I asked him back.

He shrugged. "I've been better."

I sighed and nodded. I was about to open my mouth and say something, but then I shut it closed, stopping myself from saying anything. I looked down to the tiled floor and stared at it. Millions of thoughts were running through my head, but the only thing I was asking myself is how am I ever going to tell him that I'm leaving? Because everything I felt towards him is pouring out of my heart. I didn't realize how much I had missed him until now. And that's why everything is suddenly a trillion times more difficult.

"What's wrong?" He asked me gently.

I looked up and saw him walking towards me. I knew that he could sense that there was something wrong with me. Yes, he still knew me that well. I looked up and him and half smiled.

"Nothing." I said.

But I could see it in his eyes that he didn't believe me.

"Brittany, what's wrong?" He asked me quietly.

I looked down, avoiding his gaze. I couldn't find the heart to look up at him and tell him. I knew it would hurt him more than it would hurt me, and I didn't want that. But what scares me the most was the fact that we only had such little time left with each other before I actually leave...

It felt as if time had stopped, because it seemed as though Alvin and I have been standing here for ages. But finally, I tilted my head up and looked into those deep gold eyes of his - the eyes I would always stare into whenever he wrapped his arms around me, the eyes that told me I was safe, the eyes that I have longed to see again...the eyes I missed.

I took a deep breath and finally whispered, "Can we talk?"

* * *

><p><strong>How do you think Alvin will react when Brittany tells him?<strong>

**Thanks for reading!**

**PLEASE review (:**

**XOXO**


	18. Right back to you

**"Love is as delicate as glass; once broken it can be fixed, but there will always be cracks." - Waqas Ahmad**

**...**

I watched as Alvin paused, looking at me with a concerned expression written across his face. I sighed quietly to myself. I know he still cares, and I can never deny that I don't either, because I do. But that was what I was scared of. Just thinking about his reaction when I tell him the news, breaks my heart. The last thing I want is for him to get hurt.

But do I have a choice? No, of course not. Because I know that even if I tell him or not, we'll both get hurt one way or another.

"Talk?" He asked me gently.

I didn't say or do anything at first. Even though this is the first time in 3 months where Alvin and I have spoken to each other, I still feel somewhat safe on the inside. Being near him again was just such a relieving feeling. And despite the fact that we may or may not be still together, I can truly say that there is something inside of me that still believes that we never broke up.

After I didn't respond, Alvin sighed. He walked even closed to me, making my heart jump in a way it shouldn't have and looked at me. And once again, I found myself staring into the eyes of the boy I was undeniably in love with. Alvin kept on staring at me for at least 2 more seconds before finally asking me, "Brittany, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." I said.

But I could see it in his eyes that he didn't believe me. He sighed. "What's wrong?" He asked again, more gentler this time.

I was on the verge of tears. It was so hard being this close to him again after 3 whole months. And though it did bring me a bit of happiness on the inside, knowing that Alvin and I are speaking again, it was just so difficult to be around the person you trusted, and loved...the person who broke your heart.

"I just wanna talk to you." I said, without even thinking about it.

Alvin bit his bottom lip before sighing. He took a quick glance at the clock on the wall before looking back at me. My heart still breaks everytime he looks at me.

"Right now?" He asked.

I was beginning to lose hope. The tone of his voice just made me think that maybe, just maybe, he didn't want to talk to me. I mean, why would he after all? We did break up, and we haven't spoken to each other in months. But I looked up into his eyes. I sighed and nodded. "Please?"

He sighed once more. "I really wish I could, Brittany, but...you see, I have football practice in 10 minutes..."

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. "Oh."

Pure silence swept over us. And I hated it. I absolutely hated the fact that we seem so distant from each other now. It breaks my heart, remembering all the times we had before this stupid break up of ours. But then I had to remind myself that breaking up with him was the right choice. It was the healthiest thing to do, not only for me, but for Alvin too. But now, in the situation that I'm in, a part of me wishes that I could undo the whole thing...

I sighed inaudibly. "If you're busy, it's totally understandable." I said weakly.

"But if it's really that important, then-" Alvin started.

"No, it's fine." I said.

Alvin sighed and shook his head. He looked at me and said, "Brittany, whatever it is, I-"

"Alvin, I said it's okay." I said, not realizing til now that I had snapped at him.

Alvin closed his mouth and studied me. His eyes never left mine, and mine never left his. I felt my heartbeat getting faster. What the hell am I doing? Why am I pushing him away like this? I knew I had to talk to him soon, so why am I distancing myself away from him even more?

I sighed and looked down. "Alvin, I'm sorry. It's just..." I trailed off.

"I really wish I could skip practice today, but then my coach will probably kick me off the team, and I'll never hear the end of it." He said, shrugging, but giving me a half smile.

I couldn't help but smile back.

"But...but if you want, I can come over to your house after that, if that's okay with you." Alvin told me.

I said nothing at first. To be brutally honest, I wanted him to come over, but just knowing that they two of us will be alone in the same room together for the first time in a long time just made my stomach do little twists and turns. And what would my sisters say? They know the situation going on between me and Alvin, so what will they say - what will they think - once they see Alvin at our front door again?

But I had to do what was right. Despite everything, despite all the little emotions I was now suddenly feeling, I knew that no matter what, I still love him. I still love him as if we had never broken up. But I had to remind myself why I needed to talk to him. As much as I wanted to, it wasn't to get back together with him.

No, it was to tell him that I was leaving. Leaving, moving to New York, the other side of the entire country.

My heart shattered but I managed to smile. But trust me, there was nothing genuine about that smile. Like I said, everytime I looked at him, memories came back into my mind, reminding myself that I love him. I still love him. I will never stop loving him.

"Yeah, that's okay with me." I managed to say.

He gave me that half, charming smile of his that I always loved. But I could see that there was something inside him holding him back. "Alright then. I guess I'll see you later?"

I sighed deeply and nodded. You have no idea how much I wanted to walk over to him and wrap my arms around him like old times. But no, I can't. I gave him one last weak smile before I turned around on my heel to walk away. But then, he called my name.

"Britt?" He called me gently.

I stopped and spun back around, making eye contact with him again. "Yeah?"

He smiled softly and shrugged. "It's nice...seeing you again."

Once he said that, I felt as though the entire world around me melted away. On the inside, I felt my inner little girl squeal. I melt my heart bloom into love and adoration - something I haven't felt in a long, long time. But then that feeling disappeared as quickly as it came because I was soon reminded of what I had to tell him later on.

"It's nice seeing you too." I called back gently.

Alvin just smiled at me before picking his gym bag off the floor and swinging it across one shoulder. He gave me a small wave goodbye before heading off into the opposite direction. And the moment I saw him walk away, I just wanted to run after him. Everything came back. All the emotions I had from the very first time I met him, to the day we broke up, came back to me. And there was something inside of me that was wishing - hoping, in fact - that he still feels the same way about me, the same way I still feel about him.

* * *

><p>Once I arrived home after school, I instantly went upstairs and into my room. I sat down on my bed with my head in my hands. Now that Alvin's coming here, how am I gonna tell him? It occurred to me now how unprepared I am to tell him that I'm moving. It kills me to even think about it. The fact that Alvin and I have lost so much time together, and that we will never get it back, really hit my emotions in a way I could never describe.<p>

But the thing I feared the most was seeing his reaction.

The last thing I ever wanted was to hurt him.

After about 30 minutes of pure silence, of pure contemplating, I walked out of my room, and descended down the stairs. I went into the kitchen where I found Jeanette and Eleanor at the table doing their homework. I didn't say a word to them as I entered the kitchen, but they looked at me as I sat down across from them.

"What's wrong Britt?" Eleanor asked.

I didn't know how to start, but I might as well get it over with. I looked at Jeanette and Eleanor and said, "Alvin's coming over."

They both froze.

"He is? Why?" Jeanette asked.

"I asked to talk to him." I answered.

"Oh my gosh, wait. Are you guys getting back together?" Jeanette asked.

I sighed and replied by shaking my head.

Eleanor frowned. "You're not? Then why is he coming?"

I looked at her. "You guys know why." I said quietly.

Eleanor looked at me in confusion before finally saying, "Oh my gosh, Britt. You're not telling him about New York, are you?"

I sighed. "I have to." I whispered.

Jeanette and Eleanor both gasped. Jeanette said, "You haven't told him yet?"

I shook my head again. "No. I haven't gotten the chance to even speak to him at all."

"Oh my God, Britt! He's gonna be so upset." Jeanette said.

I looked down, knowing that she was right. "I know. But...but I don't know what else to do. I know that I have to tell him. I have to tell him now - today. But I'm just so scared that he'll be mad at me. I don't want him to feel as though we're...leaving each other for good."

But before Eleanor or Jeanette could respond, there came a series of knocks on the door. I felt myself freeze as I looked over at my sisters. They were looking back at me with the same expression. Now that I know that I have no chance to turn back, I completely lost my train of thought. How the hell was I gonna explain this to him? It felt so real now. So real, it was frightening.

I was leaving. I was leaving, and Alvin didn't even know it yet.

Eleanor sighed. "You better go get the door. Jeanette and I will give you guys privacy."

I nodded as I slowly got out of my chair. As I walked out of the kitchen, through the living room towards the front door, each step made it feel as though everything was getting more farther. As I took one more step towards the door, I could feel the walls of my throat closing in on me. It's been ages since Alvin and I talked to each other in private, and as of now, I didn't even want to think of what will happen later on when I actually tell him.

I finally reached the door. I closed my eyes, and as I took a deep breath, I opened them up again, and opened the door.

Alvin stood there, instantly locking gazes with me as I gently swung open the door. Gosh, this reminds me of all the times he would come over, and how he would stand at the door, smiling, and leaning in to kiss me hello. But no, there was none of that. There was nothing like that between us anymore.

"Hey." He said softly.

"Hi." I replied.

We both kinda stood here in pure silence for a few seconds before he finally said, "Thanks for letting me over."

I only nodded as I stepped aside to let him enter. I closed the door behind me before turning to look at him. Gosh, it's been so long since he's last been here. And it hurts to remember the last time when he and I were here together - the day we broke up.

"So..." He sighed. "You wanna talk?"

My eyes darted to the kitchen, before going back to him. I couldn't risk my sisters overhearing our conversation, even though I truthfully had nothing to hide. But then I nodded gently and said, "Can we go upstairs? I need to talk to you...privately."

He raised his eyebrows slightly before nodding. I walked up the stairs, knowing that he was following close behind. I sighed deeply to myself as we arrived at my bedroom. Yes, it was making my stomach go in knots, but I knew I had a purpose of bringing him here. I closed the door behind me as Alvin and I walked in. Alvin went to go sit at the edge of my bed while I sat down on the chair of my computer desk. Silence was spilled upon the both of us for a while. I looked at Alvin. He was staring at the floor.

"Alvin?" I called.

He looked at me. "Yeah?"

I opened my mouth to say something but then I closed it half a second later. I didn't know how to start. I mean, how was I gonna start? I didn't want to tell him the news of me leaving so soon, like, right away. I hated the fact that I couldn't even start a conversation with him anymore! But despite the fact that I couldn't start talking, I had so much things to say on my mind. I had too much to say, in fact.

And before I even knew it, before I even had time to reconsider what I'm saying, the words I had been keeping locked up inside of me, came sliding off my mouth.

"I missed you." I whispered.

My heart began to thud once I realized what I just said. I was afraid to look up into Alvin's eyes, afraid to see his reaction. But I knew I had to. I unlocked my gaze from the carpeted floor, and looked up to look into his eyes. And to my deep and utter surprised, Alvin just sat there, looking at me with a soft gaze, the gaze that use to remind me of the times we had together.

Seconds turned into minutes, and by the end of it, it seemed as though this silence would never end. I quickly began to regret my decision of telling him. Oh God, I had just made a fool of myself! Why did I tell him I missed him? I seemed so weak. I felt so weak! My cheeks began to heat up in embarrassment. Gosh, Alvin must hate me so much right now! I just wanted to melt into a pool of liquid, and drain away...

But then, Alvin began to chuckle quietly.

I looked at him, confused.

He looked at me and said, "Here, sit with me." He shifted over to make room for me.

I awkwardly got off my chair and sat beside him on the edge of my bed. My heart started to race. Why did he laugh? Did he really think this was a joke? But before I knew it, I felt him wrap an arm around my waist as he pulled me closer to him. I turned to him, the same time he turned to me. His gold eyes were gleaming.

"Is this why you wanted me to come over?" He whispered gently.

"What?" I asked.

"Is this why you asked me to come over? To tell me that you missed me?" He asked.

I glared at him, hating the fact that he was saying that as if it was a joke. I looked at him and said, "No."

He laughed. "You're a terrible liar."

I froze. I had to tell myself to get to the point, to stop making this conversation longer than it really should. I had to remind myself why I asked him to come over. I had to tell him that I was leaving! But the wrong answer came out of my mouth.

"Okay, fine. So what?" I asked.

He smiled. "So, you missed me, huh?"

I could see that he was taunting me now - the same way he had done when we were still together. I smiled a little and said, "Why? Is there a problem?"

He laughed again. I smiled, soon finding myself more comfortable around him now. He shook his head and said, "No. In fact, I'm glad you told me."

"Why?" I asked.

Alvin sighed, never taking his eyes off of mine. "Because I missed you too."

I felt my heart explode. Did I really just hear that? I felt a newly found happiness in myself again, knowing that despite our break up, he still misses me. I looked at him, expecting him to reveal that he was just kidding, but no. We just sat here on the bed, looking at each other in silence.

"You did?" I asked, almost sheepishly.

Alvin nodded vaguely. "A lot, in fact."

That made me laugh softly. I smiled as I felt his arm around my waist pull me even closer to his body. I looked at him and said, "How do I know that you're not lying?"

He raised his eyebrows and said, "Because these past 3 months have been hell for me. Ever since we broke up, I honestly couldn't stop thinking about you."

I laughed, finding myself even more comfortable with him now. "Yeah, right."

He laughed. "And I know you couldn't stop thinking about me too."

"Excuse me?" I asked.

He looked at me teasingly. "You can't deny that, Brittany."

I scoffed. "For your information, I haven't thought about you at all."

Alvin laughed. "Now that, I don't believe."

I just looked at him in disbelief. "And here I am, thinking that your ego may have died down a little."

"In your dreams." He laughed.

I laughed and sighed. I shrugged and said, "Fine, I admit it. Ever since we broke up with each other, I was hoping that we would get back together soon. As much as I hate admitting this, especially to you, all I could think about was you."

He smirked. "Thought so."

I playfully slapped him. "You're still so hot headed." I said, and he laughed.

Silence dawned upon us again. Alvin and I just looked at each other without saying a word. I felt so happy, something I haven't felt in a long time. Words cannot even express how happy I am, knowing that Alvin and I are at this stage again. And even though I'm still unsure about where our relationship stands now, it still felt good to be around him after so long. It was quiet for another moment or two until I heard him sigh. I looked up at him.

"So...are we back together?" He asked.

I was suddenly taken aback. "W-What?"

He didn't say anything for a few seconds before sighing. "Are we back together again?" He asked.

I froze and gulped to myself. Oh no. No, no no! The moment he asked me that, I felt as though I completely lost my entire train of thought. You have no idea how much I wanted to say yes, but I just had to keep on reminding myself that I couldn't. I couldn't get back together with him. I brought him here for a reason - I had to tell him that in a few weeks, I would be leaving...

I had to tell him the truth. I had to tell him the truth to prevent the both of us from getting hurt even more.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn't allow myself to get back together with him.

I had to stop.

I had to tell him before it was too late.

"I..." I whispered, but instantly closed my mouth.

Alvin slightly frowned, and I instantly knew that he was assuming something else. It broke my heart, seeing him frown like that. But as much as I tried, I just couldn't bring myself up to tell him the truth. I just wasn't able to speak up and tell him that I brought him here for a reason - a reason that I was too scared to admit in front of him...

I was so scared to speak. I was so scared to answer.

"Britt?" He asked me quietly.

I looked up at him, and before I knew it, I leaned in, and kissed him on the lips. I knew I had surrendered to my guilt, but there was nothing I could do to admit the truth. But all I did was kiss him. The moment I did, I felt as though nothing else mattered anymore. I was suddenly lost, and all I could focus on was Alvin. It has been way too long since our last kiss, and now, kissing him for the first time since our breakup, just made me feel so loved again.

I knew what I was doing was wrong, but it seemed like the only way...

Alvin responded by gently kissing me back, as I wrapped my arms around his neck. I never wanted to let go of him, and I never wanted him to let go of me. And before I even knew it, I felt myself being pushed onto my back, onto my bed. I sighed and moaned softly as I felt Alvin kiss me down the side of my neck.

_No, Brittany. Stay focused. You need to tell Alvin what's really happening._

But that distant voice in my head was instantly pushed away from my thoughts. I automatically lost control as I soon found myself pulling Alvin's shirt over his head, and pushing him on his back as I straddled on his toned body. I gave him one last smirk before leaning down, and resumed our kiss...

* * *

><p>I soon woke up, finding myself wrapped up in my pillows and blankets on my bed. I smiled to myself as I gently stretched. It felt so amazing, waking up with a smile on my face again. I sighed to myself as I felt my comfy bed underneath my naked back. Yes, I was still naked.<p>

I gently giggled to myself as memories of what happened earlier, poured back into my mind. Did I actually just have sex with Alvin? Yes, yes I did. And gosh, it was incredible.

Everything was so peaceful, but I couldn't help but feel guilty on the inside...

I sighed as I looked over at the clock. It was a little bit past 6pm. I rolled over on my side, expecting to see Alvin lying down beside me, but he wasn't there. I quickly sat up, covering my bare body with my blanket and frowned. Where was he? But all the relief came back to me as I heard my washroom door click open. Alvin walked out, and smiled when he saw that I was awake. But I frowned, seeing that he was fully dressed again.

"What?" He asked, noticing my frown.

"You're wearing clothes." I said.

He laughed as he strode over to me. He leaned down and kissed me, but quickly pulled away, which made me frown even more. He sighed and sat down beside me. "What now?"

It only took me a moment to realize that he could read the expression on my face. I couldn't keep the truth away from him much long. I mean, I brought him here to talk to him, didn't I? I brought him here to tell him that I was leaving. So why wasn't I able to say anything? I looked at him and sighed. "I actually have something to tell you..."

He looked at me. "Oh. What is it?"

But right when I tried opening my mouth, I just couldn't. We just got back together and I didn't want to ruin everything else between us, especially now! But it was just so difficult to try and tell him the news, even though I wanted to so badly. We only had such limited amounts of time left until I really leave for good. But despite all these reasons, I couldn't find the guts to tell him. I guess my heart finally made it's decision - for now.

"I love you." I said.

Even though that wasn't what I was intending to say, it still felt amazing to say that to him again.

Alvin smiled and leaned in to kiss me softly on the lips. "I love you too." He whispered.

I smiled back. But deep inside, I knew that this guilt would be eating me alive until I told him.

But I guess it'll just have to wait.

But the longer I wait, the closer it gets to the day I leave.

And I knew I had to tell Alvin before it's too late.

* * *

><p><strong>Hm, it looks like Alvin and Brittany are back together. But when will Brittany tell him? Will she even be able to tell him? How will Alvin react? What do you guys think will happen to their relationship once Brittany tells him the news? :o<strong>

**I apologize for not being able to update as much anymore, but thanks for being so patient and bearing with me. I hope you all liked this chapter! PLEASE review! :D**


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